


Borrowed Forgiveness

by QuietDarkness



Category: The Flash (TV 2014)
Genre: Action, Alternate Universe, Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Alternate Universe - Vampire, BAMF Harry Wells, Blood and Violence, But he loves every minute of it, But please give it a try, Cisco Ramon is a glorious nerd, Cisco is way in over his head, Dark, Death, Drama & Romance, Fluff and Angst, How Do I Tag, I don't think this is accurate tagging, I'm Bad At Tagging, I'm hopeless, Is this how I tag?, M/M, Pain, Science, Sexual Content, Team Dynamics, Team as Family, There's a lot of lore in this, Torture, Warnings May Change, badass harrison wells, because reasons, but Cisco knows what to do with him, harrisco, harry has a lot of baggage, i give up on tagging, it's a hell of a ride, lots o' plot, okay I'm done tagging now I think, okay a few more, please enjoy, this isn't for everyone
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-07-10
Updated: 2021-02-03
Packaged: 2021-03-04 21:15:28
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 15
Words: 122,011
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25183126
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/QuietDarkness/pseuds/QuietDarkness
Summary: Cisco Ramon has been drowning at the deep end of misery for seven years and counting.After a tragic event sends his life into a downward spiral, he settles for the fact that nothing will ever be good again. Working sixty hours a week in a dead-end job just so he can rent a studio apartment in a dangerous neighborhood becomes his final lot in life, or so he thinks. An encounter with a man (who Cisco thinks of as 'The God of Science') may change all that. As time goes on, Cisco begins to see that Harrison Wells is nothing like he'd imagined, in every good way. But there's darkness there, from a past far longer than Cisco realizes. And when that past catches up with Harry, Cisco will have an impossible decision to make. Will he risk his life for a growing relationship he never could have predicted? Are Harry's secrets too big to make it work? Or will he walk away from it all, leaving Harry and the possibility of a better future in the dust?Some things are more important than holding on to the past. And sometimes, even monsters can be loved. This is a story of forgiveness, of falling apart, of finding a new way. A story of blood, evil and darker things. A story of love and the battle to keep it...
Relationships: Cisco Ramon/Earth-2 Harrison "Harry" Wells
Comments: 63
Kudos: 45





	1. Prologue

**Author's Note:**

> Hey everyone! So this is my second attempt at Harrisco. The idea came to me out of the blue and I just had to tackle it. (The summary doesn't really do it justice, so please give it a shot!) I hope you all enjoy it. If you like the beginning, let me know! I'll definitely keep updating! 
> 
> Yes, Harry is a vampire. Yes, Cisco is his geeky-awesome self. 
> 
> The prologue takes place in the past, so please hang in there. The rest is (mostly) modern day.
> 
> (A warning for those with triggers: There are moments of violence, blood, sex, mentions of suicide, swearing, physical injury, death and dark themes throughout. Please keep that in mind while reading. Warnings will be placed before any chapter when necessary.)
> 
> Thanks for reading! Love you all! -QD

-June 1623-

“Harrison!” 

_He stiffened in place at the sound of his name, the ink tipped quill in his hand nearly piercing the delicate paper on the sturdy but time worn table. He grit his teeth, sighing through his nostrils and rolling his shoulders beneath the cotton shirt that hung somewhat loosely in the June heat. Even at night, it was sweltering in the small Massachusetts settlement. The lantern at the edge of his table seemed to enhance the heat ten-fold, but he was not about to stop what he was doing. Not even for Marianna Boone._

“I thought you were awake.” _The brunette sauntered in, not bothering to close the door behind her. She stopped just beside him, hands on her wide hips. The house-woman was far too nosey for his liking, but he was staying there free of charge thanks to his connections to the Mayor, and he could not bring himself to tell her to stay out of her own rooms._ “What is all this?” _She asked, nodding in the direction of the diagrams littered all over the table. He fought the urge to chuck the quill at her haphazardly pointed nose and cleared his throat a little._

“Nothing of import.” _He stated, straightening and looking up at her from where he sat, the chair beneath him creaking lightly._ “Is there something you needed?” _He could not keep all the agitation out of his voice. He was only so patient with people like this. She crossed her arms then, squishing her breasts together in a display that would have caught many a man’s eye. Luckily for him, it did nothing but make his frown appear._ “I am rather busy, as you can see, madam.”

“Ephraim still has not returned. And I think there may be a fox scaring the hens again.” _She stated firmly. Ah, yes. Ephraim. The wide-eyed, energetic but at times far too naïve farmhand turned errand boy for the high and mighty English/Dutch family of the household. Lucky for him, he got to leave this bloody place from time to time. Harrison was stuck here until his business was through._

“And you wish me to… what? I am not a fox wrangler, madam.” _Harrison stood to his full height then, tossing the quill down on the table. He towered well over her shorter form. And she had more than once tried to ‘climb him like a tree.’ Too bad for her she had the intelligence of a long-dead log. He stepped past her, putting space between them. The woman always made his blood pressure rise, made him want to hit something. He had so little patience for people who thought themselves above others simply because of status._

“I want you,” _she let her arms fall,_ “To go make sure the chickens are not dead.” _She practically whined at him. He winced at the sound of it. God, what a horrid creature._ “Please? It is quite dark and the rest of the household sleeps, and I would do it myself but I am of quite a delicate nature, as I am sure you are aware, and-“ _He held up a hand, silencing her with a stare and a sigh._

“Fine, fine. Just… stop talking. For God’s sake, woman. You are insufferable.” _He turned, yanking the door further open as she let out an exasperated gasp. She began hurling even more words at him, all of which he tuned out as he made his way down the stairs and out the back way. The world was awash in stars. The moon was barely a sliver in the sky. He grabbed the dimly lit lantern on the landing and turned the knob, making the flame within burn a little brighter. But the light only reached so far. He felt sweat trickle down his spine as he followed the well-worn path away from the house, around the corner to the chicken coop. Honestly, he should have just stood there and pretended he gave a damn. But the horrendous woman was probably watching through a window. He was going to need a drink after this._

 _When he got there, the house well behind him, the chickens seemed fine. All nestled in their home. Not a feather out of place. He sighed heavily, lowering the lantern entirely and raising his face to the sky._ “Fool’s errand. That is what this is.” _He closed his eyes. And just breathed. The heady smell of bird and heat did nothing but make him grimace and he opened his eyes with a slight growl. He could not even enjoy the night properly. He turned on his feet, lantern hanging from two fingers. But he barely got two steps before his feet were swept completely out from beneath him, the lantern dropping and rolling away hard with the sound of broken glass, the flame going out. The chickens began clucking in fear, a loud chorus of screeches and cries._

 _He hurried to get his bearings, pushing himself up on all fours, and then to his feet, eyes roaming the darkness as he tried to understand what was happening. Was someone out there? Had someone hit him?_ “Show yourself!” _He turned slowly, hands open and ready at his sides. The thick trees beyond, the coop, the house behind him, the silence… wait… why were the chickens quiet now? He looked at the coop. But he could not see anything beyond the outline of the shelter. He took a slow, steady step toward it. Only to find himself on his back again._

_This time, though, someone was pinning him down. Someone strong. Too strong._

_He struggled against the hands that held his shoulders down, the knees that held his hips like a vice. The figure on top of him was smaller, in a way. Shorter, and somehow familiar. But he could not place it in the dark. Until she spoke._

“Harrison Wells.” _Everything in him froze, fear boiled his insides like pure acid. Because that was not possible. She was… she could not be…_ “I have looked for you everywhere.” _Her voice sounded pleased, and the more he stared at her, the more her lovely face came into focus. The blond hair pulled back lazily, the piercing green eyes were mostly pupils in the dark. She moved one hand, bringing it up to trace a single line down his face. Her fingers were freezing… it made his entire body shiver._

“Tess?” _he whispered, even that one word sounding harsh and confused._

_He could almost see her smile. And for some reason, that frightened him more than anything. She sat up then with a laugh, letting his other shoulder go and slipping off him entirely. He scooted back instantly, putting space between them, breathing heavily, staring hard. He must be dreaming. He must have fallen asleep over his work and this was all some dream induced from too much summer heat and not enough water in his system._

“No, Harrison. You are not dreaming.” _She sat cross-legged before him, completely comfortable in her own skin. Like she always had been._ “I am really here.” _He sat a little straighter at that, studying what he could see of her in the dark, his heart a raging storm in his chest. Then he shook his head a little._

“I watched you die. I… I buried you.” _He stated almost angrily. Because it still hurt. He had been completely unable to help her. He had never been so useless. And she had bled out in his arms. He buried her with his own hands, her blood had still been caked beneath his fingernails when he told her family, her ghost haunted him everywhere he went. Maybe that was what this was, her ghost come to fruition. His punishment for failing her._

“No…” _she whispered, a solemn expression coming across her features. And she moved toward him. He froze. He felt like a rabbit being stalked by a predator, but he knew he was cornered and there was no getting away. She reached for him, holding his warm face in her freezing hands. God, so cold…_ “You did not fail me, my love. You never failed me. You tried, I know you tried.” _She remarked, like she had read his mind, and she pressed her forehead to his._ “But there are some things even you cannot change.” _He could see her lips stretch in a smile, her white teeth flashing momentarily in the dark. There was something different about her smile, but he could not place it._

_For the moment, however, none of that mattered because she was there. He didn’t know how this might be happening, but this was Tess. This was his love. Logic screamed at him to be acknowledged, but the tugging at his heart overwhelmed him and he ignored his brain entirely._

_He brought his hands up slowly to her face, digits shaking lightly, his thumbs gliding along her cool cheekbones, fingers slipping into her hair._ “I…” _he shook his head a little, forcing her to pull hers away slightly._ “I do not understand.” _And he hated that, not understanding. She knew that, too. And the smile on her face was so wonderfully familiar and evident of that, he could not help the choked sound that came out of his throat._ “I have missed you, so very much.” 

“I know. My darling, I know.” _She leaned in and kissed him, then. And God… if ever there was proof that this was Tess, this was all he would ever need. Though the longer her lips lingered, the more he realized that there was simply no warmth in her. None to be found. Even when their tongues slipped into the chasms of each other’s mouths, he found no warmth. What he did find was something sharp and unexpected. He pulled back quickly, the coppery taste of blood filling his mouth from a scrape across his inner lip. She smiled at him lightly, knowingly. He lifted fingers to his mouth, pulling back blood tinged tips._ “It is alright.” _She took his hand in hers,_ “I know there is so much to explain. So much that you do not understand, and you despise that.” _She nearly grinned at the idea._ “But you will, my love. You will understand everything shortly.” _She brought his fingers to her mouth, and she slipped the bloody tips in between her lips. He felt her tongue swipe over them._

“What are you-“ _but he did not get the chance to finish the question or pull his hand away, or anything else. Because he was on his back again in a blink, and she was on top of him impossibly strong again. And there was pain, sharp and real and freezing cold flooding his veins through his neck. And then the dark seemed to get darker, and the warmth of the summer night simply turned cold. He had no concept of time, no idea how long it went on for. Just that he was powerless against it. And something about that angered him. Infuriated him. It boiled a temper in his center that had him struggling against his invisible bonds, but to no avail._

“Ssshh, Harrison. Be still. Sssshh.” _Her voice soothed over him as he blinked heavily against the sensation of his limbs going numb, of his chest seizing up. He had the brief realization that some sort of liquid, thick and coppery and just as cold was being put into his mouth._ “I have you now. Everything will be better when you awaken.”

_And then the world fell away into an ice-cold hell, filled with horror, hunger, and one single thought… Tess was not his Tess anymore. And she had just killed him…_

_When the sun rose that morning, a strange quiet had settled over everything. The chickens remained huddled in their coop, subdued, and unwilling to venture. Every door in the house was open, every shutter spread wide. The smell of things not quite right mingled in the growing morning heat. Young Ephraim, barely fourteen, was instantly struck by the thickness of it, coughing lightly as he dropped his pack by the front doorway, taking a few hesitant steps in with his hand over his mouth and nose in an attempt to block the smell._

_But the further he ventured in, it became apparent there was no stopping that smell. The smell of fresh death in the summer heat. Because it was everywhere. The walls in the sitting room were painted in Marianna Boone’s blood, the house-woman sitting in a chair, her eyes wide open, her chest exposed, and sternum cracked wide, exposing things that should never see the light of day. Ephraim yelped and back pedaled, slipping on blood, landing hard in the hallway. He scooted himself against the stairwell… a faint drip-drip-dripping sound coming from somewhere above. But he did not dare go in search of it. A heavy panic settled into his bones. And he ran. Ran from the house, ran till his lungs burned and he crashed into the church begging for help._

_Seven dead in total._

_None among them Harrison Wells._

_He was nowhere to be found._

_No one said what they were thinking. No one dared accuse such a reputable man of something so horrendous. Even the priest, who had never really been a fan of the scientific man, said it seemed more like the work of demons than any normal man._

_And as they buried the slaughtered and burned the house to the ground, Ephraim carefully stored away Harrison Wells’ belongings for safekeeping and prayed for the missing man who had once called him ‘insightful’ and ‘promising’ in a world where few people dared to give an orphaned errand boy a second glance…_


	2. “If I’ll have any part of you, I’ll have you my way.”

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Cisco's life is about to change, in more ways than one.

-Present Day-

“Cisco Ramon?” 

He nearly toppled sideways at the sound of his name, the waist high plant he’d been picking at jostling back as he righted himself, grimacing and grabbing the strange multi-layered bamboo looking thing so it wouldn’t completely fall over, a ring of leaves cascading to the far too clean black tile floor. Then he paused, making sure he hadn’t damaged it and stepped back with a stupid grin.

“Phew.” He said, turning to look at a rather amused and familiar looking man who seemed to be about his age. He was taller, lean, wearing jeans, a button-up blue shirt and black sketchers with no designs on them. His brownish hair was mostly neat, and his blue eyes glistened when he chuckled, stepping forward and reaching a hand out, which Cisco took warmly.

“I’m Barry Allen, one of the leads here. I’m glad you could make it.” Cisco froze a little.

“Wait, _the_ Barry Allen? The guy who helped prove that Einstein-Rosen Bridges actually exist?” Barry shrugged at that, and Cisco let go of his hand, nudging Barry in the shoulder. “Oh, man! This is wild! I wore out those theorem papers in days! You're like the King of us nerds!” He grinned even wider.

“Thanks, man. I appreciate that. Though to be fair, I didn’t do it alone. A lot of people here had a hand in that.” He slipped his hands in his pockets, “Ready?” He moved toward the elevators then, the big, bright and well-travelled lobby had seemed daunting to Cisco when he first walked in, even this late at night. Now, though, he wasn’t sure he wanted to leave it. The idea of being in S.T.A.R. Labs was one thing but going further in was… a little petrifying. 

This place was his dream, after all. A dream he’d long ago come to terms with never achieving. 

“Hey so,” he caught up with Barry just as he punched the up button, “Not to sound all paranoid or anything, but… why am I here? I mean that phone call I got didn’t really explain much.”

“He’ll explain when you meet him.” Barry smiled stepping into a completely empty elevator, the silver washed walls reflecting their images oddly. 

“He? Who’s he?” Cisco asked, hiking his messenger bag strap up a bit more as the elevator doors closed. Barry didn’t push a button, instead pressing his palm to a scanner on the wall. Sweeeet.

“Doctor Wells.”

And just like that, Cisco’s mouth dropped. He swore his tongue shriveled up in his mouth and his heart found a new home inside his stomach. Panic set in with disbelief in an instant. He cleared his throat, practically strangling his strap and pressing his back to the elevator wall as it began to climb. “Doctor…” he cleared his throat, clearing the strain in his tone, “Doctor Harrison Wells?”

“Yeah. The one and only.” Barry seemed completely at ease with the idea. But this was… this was insane!

Not only was Doctor Wells the leading authority on everything science today, he also ran S.T.A.R. Labs, pioneered more than a few incredible charities worldwide, and had single-handedly made more scientific discoveries in the last few decades than anyone else alive. The man was a literal God in the scientific community. And he wanted to meet Cisco Ramon? A nobody barista from CCJitters who lived in a crappy studio apartment with a cat that had no tail? Cisco Ramon, the guy whose whole life was a daily train wreck with no end in sight, no family, no real friends and far too many bills to pay? Cisco Ramon who had more than once wondered what cosmic hornet’s nest he must have kicked to end up this way?

“Hey,” Barry was watching him, brows raised, standing in an open, brightly lit hallway now, the elevator doors wide open. He’d never even felt the damn thing stop. “You okay?”

“Oh, yeah… ya know… mild panic attack…” He said, pushing away from the wall of the elevator and forcing himself out, aware what his expression must have looked like. Barry chuckled, gripping his shoulder amicably. 

“Don’t worry. It’ll be fine, I promise. Harry’s not in the habit of eating people on the first day.” He said so easily, Cisco had to blink and compose himself to think about what he’d just heard before following Barry again. He’d called him Harry. Huh. That was so… casual? And honestly- wait, eating people?! Barry opened a set of double doors, and motioned Cisco in. “Make yourself comfy. I’ll let him know you’re here, okay? And seriously, man, no more panicking, okay?” He shook Cisco’s hand once more before disappearing, the door closing behind him. 

And suddenly, everything was waaaaaaaaay too quiet.

He slowly turned away from the doors, everything wound tight in his body. He felt like he was a mouse in a trap, waiting for someone to come along and finally end his misery. Maybe that’s what this was. A misery thing. Maybe this was the cosmic hornet’s nest dealing him one last wild and weird blow before the end-all. Maybe he should just get back on the damn elevator and leave…

But then there was this office.

It was so… big. He smirked a little at that, the ‘that’s what she said’ line flittering through his head. Yeah, okay. At least he could still amuse himself when crazy stuff happened. Maybe it wasn’t all bad. 

He wandered slowly in, letting his hands fall from his strap, hanging at his sides as he examined his surroundings, the neat and clean décor of someone who had money but apparently didn’t like a lot of things. 

The desk was white. Like… marble but not. It was tidy, with very few trinkets and one picture on it of a young brunette woman with an incredibly bright smile. There were two white chairs before the desk, a set of large, clear windows that stretched out the entire wall length of the office itself offering a striking visage of the night bathed city beyond. On the opposite side of the office from where the desk sat was a large square table with several rolling stools. And it was littered with gadgets and tools. All of which caught Cisco’s eye, instantly making him care nothing about the rest of the office. “Duuuude.” He said out loud, practically hurrying to the table as he picked up a fine laser drill. That piece of equipment alone would have cost his entire year’s earnings and then some. He set it down with a chuckle, thinking about all the things he could do with a tool like that. And then his eyes caught something else.

Under all the chaos sat a set of blueprints. He gently began moving things out of the way till he could see more of what there was on the well lined and well thought out diagrams. “Particle Accelerator… no way.” He mused out loud, feeling suddenly giddy, tracing some of the lines with one finger, calculations on the edges instantly making sense to him. It was this that he was really good at. The math, the science that went with it. Engineering, man. That was his calling. And this was as close as he was ever going to get to it.

“Very good. Most people would have no idea what those plans are for.”

The practically unreal, raspy and somehow smooth at the same time voice that suddenly materialized behind him made him yip and spin around, a hand going to his chest as his heart did a loop, face caught in a grimace. “Cheeseonacracker!” he swore, then blinked before freezing completely. 

Because standing there in the middle of the room, was Doctor Harrison Wells.

He was tall, clean shaven, the sharp lines of his jaws and thin set of his lips more than a little appealing in the bright lights of the office. He was dressed in black jeans, a black form fitting sweater with the sleeves rolled up to his elbows that did nothing to hide the fact that the guy was lean and strong. Other than black framed glasses, a watch and black boots, that was it. It was such casual attire that Cisco almost wondered if he was imagining it, considering every image he’d ever seen of the, in Cisco’s humble opinion, made-for-magazine-covers-man had him wearing some sort of suit. His dark hair was delightfully messy, one hand in his pocket, the other holding a light gray folder with the S.T.A.R. Labs logo on it. 

And his eyes were… holy shit, his eyes were blue. Bluer than blue. The bluest damn blue to ever blue, in fact. None of that, nope, none of it did anything to Cisco’s gay little heart. Like… at all. Hm.

Cisco slowly let his hand fall and willed composure into his DNA, straightening his jacket out, along with the sweatshirt beneath, then smoothed his hands over his jeans. Even though the taller man was dressed like every other normal person on the planet (despite the obvious attraction to dark material), Cisco suddenly felt very out of place in his presence. Especially when he started moving toward him. He pulled his hand out of his pocket, reaching it out for Cisco to take. 

“It’s good to meet you, Cisco Ramon.” He said, shaking firmly when Cisco finally took his hand. His skin was a touch cold, like he’d just had his hand in a refrigerator for a little too long. This close, Wells smelled like a cool breeze and aftershave, which made Cisco painfully aware that he smelled like burnt coffee and old bagels. “Tell me…” he tossed the folder on the table when Cisco awkwardly let go and Wells motioned to the plans as he paced away and to the side of the table itself, sitting down comfortably on one of the stools. “What do you make of those calculations?”

“I…” Cisco shook his head a little, then lifted a hand to move some of his long, thick, black hair out of his face. He turned back to the table and the blueprints, scanning over the easy to read handwriting on the edges. “It’s missing variables.” He said easily. “It’s the start of a sequence for an injector calculation, but…” he shook his head a little, poking the paper at a particular spot, “You’re missing at least two equations here. And that’s just the st-“ he paused, eyes darting up sharply, watching Doctor Wells watch him. “The start.” He finished, swallowing. The scientist before him seemed to be studying him. Intently, as though Cisco Ramon was somehow the most interesting creature he’d ever come across. Then he simply reached forward and nudged the gray folder in Cisco’s direction. “What’s this?” He asked dubiously.

“Open it.” Wells said, his tone leaving no room for argument. And honestly, if Cisco hadn’t been so confused and still slightly panicked by everything that was currently happening, he might have called the ridiculously hot genius out on his bossiness. But instead, he just picked up the file and opened it. And then his brows shot up.

“This is my math proof.” He blurted, looking directly at Wells who now had his arms crossed and a smug expression on his face. Or maybe that was satisfaction? Delicious on him, either way.

“Yes, it is.”

“How’d you… I mean this… I just posted this last night.” He rambled. Yeah, Cisco may have been, in every way, out of the game. But he still came up with stuff. His brain still worked. And he still shared and collaborated if he could. So he’d posted this proof online in a forum for nerdy geniuses like himself where information was freely tossed around without ego involved. It was more of a theory than anything. It was missing some key components to make it work. But the implications of what it could lead to were… he paused, staring straight at the other man. “You want to use it for the accelerator.” His jaw nearly unhinged at the idea, fully aware what he was saying as it left his mouth. He sat hard on the nearest empty stool, the folder barely held in his hands. “Oh my god, that’s it. That’s what’s missing.” The calculations came so quickly to him, then. The pieces fitting together so snugly in place as he let his eyes focus back on the equations on the blueprints.

“No.” Wells said then, catching Cisco’s attention instantly again. He hadn’t budged from where he was sitting, still watching in that intent way that now reminded Cisco very much of a predator sizing up its prey. “I want you to use it.”

“You want me to… what, now?” He swallowed, closing the folder slowly, furrowing his brows. “I feel like I’m being messed with. Because that would make a lot of sense. More sense than your ridiculously vague answer. Are you messing with me?” He demanded, unable to hide the skeptic quality of his voice. Wells smiled briefly, a brow raised slightly.

“It’s your proof. I could offer to buy it. But I think it would be of more use to me with you behind it. I want you on the team, working on the particle accelerator.” Cisco just gaped at him again, eyes wide, pretty sure his heart had stopped functioning properly and well aware that it was probably not a good look to have his mouth open like that. Was he still breathing? Could he still function without breathing? “Ramon,” Wells dropped his arms, the sound of Cisco’s last name said like that -and in that voice- doing very little to help his state of mind right then. “I’ve done my research. You were on the road to becoming a leading engineer. You have a brilliant mind.” He stood, stepping away from the table and motioning to him. “This math proof is evidence of that. I think we can be successful with you on board.”

Cisco watched him walk toward a small table near the far wall, pulling a stainless steel decanter toward him and pouring something dark and red into a whiskey glass. “You’re… you’re Doctor Harrison Wells.” Cisco said dubiously, as if the man didn’t know. “You could do whatever you want. Literally. I’m practically grade school level compared to you. You don’t need me for this. You could just… take my proof and run with it. Why offer a nobody something like this?” Yeah, okay. So, this may not have been the smartest thing to ask. He wasn’t exactly painting himself in a peachy light. But the incredulousness had completely overridden everything else for the time being. 

“I’m not in the habit of stealing what belongs to others.” He responded, turning and leaning his rear against the table behind him, raising the glass to his lips and taking a long sip, completely at home in his skin. He licked his lips after, the red liquid seemingly thick, as he lowered the glass. “As scientists, what we do, the things we create and even will into being all have a part of us in them in the end. This proof?” He motioned toward him with the glass. “It’s yours. And a part of you. If I’ll have any part of you, I’ll have you my way.” He raised his chin a little. “The right way.” 

And the look. Hot damn. Cisco felt his mouth go dry for the second time that day, but for entirely different reasons. Those words could have meant oh-so-many different things. But then Wells was moving again. “The offer is there, in the folder with your proof. Go over it. Think about it. Get back to me tomorrow night with your decision, six o’clock. Don’t be late.” And just like that, the tall, hot, genius of a man walked out of the office, glass in hand, silence resting in his wake as his apparently incessant need to throw around orders rang like a bell in Cisco’s confused head.

He sat there like a rock. A well-groomed rock, but still… a rock. He looked down at the folder, then around the room. “Twilight Zone. That’s what this is.” But even as he said it, there was a bubbling of something painfully familiar. Something he’d convinced himself he’d never dare to put stock in again.

Shit.

That was terror. And hope. He was feeling hope.

And if anyone knew Cisco Ramon well enough, they’d know why that was, for him, a really bad thing…

***

Cisco couldn’t stop pacing. 

Every pass from the one barred, wide window to the opposite wall of his studio apartment was beginning to create a clear treadmark on the old wood floorboards, which was probably a sign that he needed to sweep more often. Not that he was ever home enough for that to matter. He worked nearly sixty hours a week. He was only home enough to sleep and shower most days. And today should have worked out like every other day. Wake up at five, shower, catch the T, four stops to the next train, then three stops to Jitters where he’d work from six till close schlepping coffee and bagels, cleaning tables and floors. Then the train ride home, to collapse in bed, and wake up tomorrow to do it all over again. 

But it was currently five minutes till five. And he hadn’t slept. At all. Because he couldn’t get the meeting with Doctor Wells out of his head. He couldn’t get those calculations to stop speeding through his thoughts. And, sadly, he couldn’t get the offer to stop prodding his fortitude. Because that offer… it would fix everything. No more sixty-hour weeks. No more living paycheck to paycheck. He could pay off literally everything in less than a year! He could move out of his shithole apartment, to a better neighborhood where people didn’t shoot up next door and he didn’t have to worry about being mugged every time he walked to the subway. And he could do what he was really good at, what he had always known he was meant to do. Which had nothing to do with loud-mouthed, rude office workers demanding their daily caffeine fixes. 

It was all so… perfect. And unreal. And everything he never imagined could ever happen to him. But it was. It was happening. The proof was in the proof, so to speak. And it was all spread out on his air mattress, blaringly obvious and waiting for him to sign on the dotted line. All because he’d submitted a math proof to an online forum. 

BEEP-BEEP-BEEP-BEEP-BEE

“Sonofabiscuit!” He startled, and jogged over to the wall beside the bed, slamming the button on his alarm, the old clock nearly knocking off the faded green milk crate it was on. He breathed in deeply, letting the air out heavily. 

He had a choice to make. And he had to make it now. He sat on the floor with a grunt and grabbed the paper with the offer. The numbers before him, the promises in black and white, the contract for his future employment with S.T.A.R. Labs all stared back, begging him to just sign and initial and date, for crying out loud. Ampere seemed to agree too, the tail-less, short-haired, deaf and all-white cat sauntered across the bed toward him and head-butted the paper in his hands, pushing it toward him with an extra loud purr. He ran a hand over the feline’s back, Ampere moving to his lap and getting comfy.

“I’d be stupid not to, right?” He mused out loud, despite the fact the cat couldn’t hear him. Ampere just purred and closed his eyes. “Right.” He grabbed the pen off the bed, swallowed and signed. Then he just… sat there. It was so anti-climactic that he felt like there should be music or fanfare or… something. This piece of paper was literally changing his life, right? He cleared his throat and set the paper and pen down and just worried his fingers into Ampere’s short hair. “I guess I should get ready to go, huh?” He picked the cat up and stood, cradling the feline-like a baby, the animal as pliable as pudding.

Cisco had found him as a kitten on the street. He’d been scrawny as hell, bleeding profusely from the stump where his tail had been, covered in fleas and in desperate need of help. Poor thing had been no better off than Cisco was, honestly. So, he’d used a couple week’s worth of food money to pay for a vet to make sure that the kitten would live. Adopting him after that was a no brainer. They’d been like peas in a pod since. The little guy was, as sad as it sounded, the only comfort Cisco had. And he was damn grateful for him. Ampere seemed to reciprocate the feeling, completely happy to shower Cisco in all the affection his little self had to give. 

After making sure Ampere had fresh food and water, he changed, brushed his teeth, and left. If he was going to quit Jitters, he wanted to do it in person. It wasn’t that he had any real connections there. Sure, he got along well with everyone. But he didn’t hang out beyond work, and he didn’t go out of his way to share his personal life with any of them. He just didn’t see the need to get close to them. Because getting close to anyone usually meant bad things for him. At least in his experience. At any rate, quitting in person was the right thing to do. But as he hopped the train and nestled himself into the crowded morning commute, he couldn’t help but wonder if he was really doing the right thing.

He’d never really been good with change. 

But he also never broke his promises. 

And he’d promised himself a long time ago that if a miracle dropped in his lap, he wouldn’t turn it away. 

If ever there were a miracle, it was on that piece of paper he’d signed, handed to him by the God of science, leading him toward the only future he’d ever really wanted.

And that was the thought he held onto as he went from train to train to Jitters.

The coffee shop wouldn’t be open till six-thirty. But he had a key. He had all the keys, actually. 

“What’re you doing here?” CCJitter’s manager Emily Moss stopped as he stepped in through the employee entrance, the ridiculously tall blond woman with the irregularly cheery voice asked him as he shrugged his bag off and set it aside, keys still in hand. Emily glanced up at the clock on the wall, a heavy bag of coffee beans cradled in both of her hands. “I thought you weren’t in till seven today?” She made it a question, setting the bag on the back counter and smiling at him. “Ya know, you really are a workaholic, that’s what I love about you.”

“Not today, I’m not.” He shifted the keys from one hand to the other, “Actually, that’s why I’m here.” He stepped toward her, surprised by the fact that he wasn’t nervous about this at all. He’d worked here for nearly seven years. Shouldn’t this be harder? He held the keys out to her with a shrug. “I, uh… I quit.” He stated, watching her hand pause around the various pieces of metal. Her brows shot up.

“What?!” She nearly yipped. He’d never heard her voice take on that tone before and he raised both brows at her, blinking. “Why?!” She demanded, dropping her hand without taking the keys. “No, never mind, I don’t care! You can’t quit!” There was an odd, sort of angry and panicked look in her eyes. Cisco knew Emily was a bit high strung on good days. He really should have expected this.

“Emily…” he began, slowly reaching over and setting the keys down on the counter like he was afraid she just might throttle him if he moved too quickly. “I’ve got another job.” She crossed her arms then, lips set in a straight line.

“What was wrong with this one?” She demanded. He chuckled a little at the absurdity of that question, then cleared his throat, sobering himself quickly at her expression. Bad Cisco, no laughing.

“It doesn’t matter now. What’s done is done. Okay? Just… be happy for me and, uh… yeah.” He reached over and patted her shoulder lightly. Her whole form was a stiff, tightly wound thing. He cringed a little and stepped back. “Just… take care of yourself, okay?” He grinned then, turned, grabbed his bag and fleeing out the way he came in before she could protest anymore.

And just like that, it was over.

Seven years of making caffeinated drinks for hours on end and cleaning spills and dealing with assholes was… over. He closed his eyes and took in a deep breath, letting it out slowly. Then he laughed, turning on his heel and heading down the alley toward the street.

* * *

-April,1996-

_The smell of blood was… delightfully intoxicating._

_He could feel it pulling at his senses, urging him to go, hunt, feed._

_It was a whisper in his head, a pull in his dead veins. But he was stronger than that instinct, stronger than the ever-present hunger. He always had been, to a point. It was what helped to set him apart from every one of his kind. It set him apart from her. And that was more important to him than absolutely anything. Because it made him stronger than her by any stretch of the imagination._

_He could hear her laughter in the dark, condemned building somewhere, the sound of it melodic and echoing off decrepit, paint peeled, moldy walls._ “Tess!” _He yelled out, hands in fists at his sides._ “Stop this!” _He demanded clearly. She’d lead him here. And part of him knew it was just a game to her, another way to get under his skin, another way to punish him. He should have just walked away, left her to own devices. But unlike her, he still had a conscience. He couldn’t just leave innocent people to die. It already didn’t bode well that there was a man lying dead in the foyer, blood circling the hole in his chest. Somewhere inside, Tess laughed again, her voice mingling with something softer… a frightened voice, sobbing…_

“Aw, come on, lover? Don’t tell me you’re not hungry!” _Her voice rang back to him. And he could smell even more fresh blood, coppery and warm, permeating the stale air. He growled low and deep in his chest, a sound that was altogether wholly inhuman. It bubbled up and out of his throat as he sped up the stairs faster than any living person could go, stopping on the third floor in a matter of moments._ “Tell me, Harrison… when exactly did you stop being one of us? Hm?” _Her voice whispered around him, thrown from corner to corner, side to side as though she were in all places at once. He stopped in a long hallway, split floorboards creaking headily beneath his booted feet._ “Can you pinpoint the exact moment you decided to betray your instinct? Betray… me?”

“You’re the one who betrayed me, Tess.” _He didn’t speak loudly, he knew damn well she could hear his ragged whisper._ “When you turned me.” _He walked down the hallway, knowing by scent alone exactly where he was going. But what he saw when he got to the room at the end of the hall was… absolutely startlingly. He froze in the doorway, hands opening at his sides, held out and empty as he was met with the awful visage of a terrified and bloody woman holding what appeared to be a baby. Both were covered in blood. The woman, obviously the mother by the smell of her, was shushing the baby, rocking her shakily as Tess ran her fingers through her hair, watching Harrison with overpowering green eyes._

“I gave you a gift, made you better. Made you stronger, you ungrateful wretch. I made you live forever.” _Tess said then, voice lovely as ever. But there was no emotion in her tone anymore. She’d lost that long ago. Except for rage. Anger. Hatred. It was all she was capable of feeling anymore._ “You were supposed to live forever with me!” _She snarled; fangs bared momentarily. The woman cried out, squeezing her eyes shut, holding her child that much closer._

 _Harrison stepped forward, his pupil blown eyes widening as he held his empty hands out for her to see._ “Let them go, Tess. This is about me. It’s always been about me.” _Tess laughed at that, making him stop at the sound. It wasn’t pleasant anymore, not by any means._

“Oh, you’re right about that. This is definitely about you.” _She stood from where she was crouched behind the woman, yanking at the mother’s hair and making her cry out again._ “It took me so long to find you, Harry.” _She said his nickname with spite, swaying on her feet as some of her blond hair fell into her face._ “I suppose I hoped you’d come to your senses by now.” _She sighed, for a single moment reminding him of the Tess he’d known so long ago._ “You love these humans so… damn… much.” _She shook her head in exasperation, looking down at the baby for a moment._ “They’re food, Harrison. Cattle.” 

“You’re wrong.” _He asserted tensely, but didn’t raise his voice._ “They are so much more than that. Like we used to be.”

“We were weak.” _She intoned impatiently,_ “Unimportant. We never would have made a dent in history. We always wanted to make history, you and I.” _She raised her chin to him lightly._

“We’re sure as shit not making history now.” _He wasn’t lying about that. There were rules to follow, an ancient set of precepts that ensured all vampires stayed in line. And when one of them stepped over that line like Tess often did, they were dealt with quietly and quickly by others of their kind. How Tess hadn’t perished yet was a mystery. One for another night._

“Says the rising star.” _She sneered at him._ “Building quite a reputation for yourself, Harrison. How is it you can keep your dirty little secret so well?”

_He didn’t answer her. Mostly because he had long ago reached the point where he wanted nothing to do with her, and wanted her to know nothing about him. He’d grieved for her once, grieved the loss of all they’d had. But when he realized she was just a shell of the woman he’d once loved, that she was nothing more than a monster, he’d walked away from her as fast as his feet could take him. It hadn’t been kind. But it had been necessary. Because even though they were both vampires, he would never be a monster. Looking back now, it was fairly clear he should have killed her then when he’d had the chance._

“Nothing? No retort? No witty comeback?” _She tilted her head like a cat watching a mouse she was about to eat._ “Fine. I’m bored anyway.” _And then she reached down lightning fast._

 _If he was human, he wouldn’t have seen her move, wouldn’t have been able to focus on the direction her hand was reaching. And he moved a split second afterward without thinking, snarling as he dove at her, his shoulder ramming into her as he skidded to a halt, sending her flying into a wall. Dust kicked up as she hit the floor. The air soaked up the smell of fresh blood like a sponge. Outside, the subtle sound of sirens was heard approaching from the distance. Tess got to her feet, chuckling, spitting out congealed, nearly black blood._ “Too late.” _She winked at him. And in a blink, she was gone, jumping out a broken window, leaving him standing in the aftermath._

__

_And the aftermath was awful. He was no stranger to death anymore. Blood was literally his life. But he would never get used to innocent people dying. He never wanted to. He steeled himself and turned slowly, the sound of a screaming, terrified baby was murder to his ears. He had to tone his senses down, moving toward the now very limp body of the mother. Her throat was in tatters, Tess having literally torn it out. He hadn’t been quite fast enough to stop her._

__

_And there, in the woman’s limp arm, wailing and shaking tensely, was the baby. A girl, by the look of her blood-stained and pink-footed pajamas. He grimaced quietly, glancing around as he heard the sirens coming closer. He should just leave the child there for the police to find. She’d be safe with them. He closed his eyes momentarily at that idea._

__

_No… no she wouldn’t be safe. Tess had the child’s scent, now. And he knew the vampiress well enough to know she’d track the little one down and eviscerate her just to spite him._

__

_He crouched slowly, lowering his gaze to the flailing infant._ “Alright, enough of that.” _He said as calmly as he could manage, slipping his hands beneath her little form. She was so fragile, the most delicate thing he’d ever laid his far too powerful hands on. How she’d survived all this without a scratch was beyond him._ “Tough little girl, aren’t you.” _He cradled her into one long arm, his other hand smoothing blood out of her face. And the girl instantly quieted, stilled, blinking up at him with bright green eyes as her lips trembled but no sound came out beyond her speedy breathing and the occasional whimper._

 _He stood as carefully as he could, stepping over the baby’s dead mother with regret. He stopped in the doorway, looking back at her still form, the carnage of her throat very poignant._ “I’ll take care of her.” _He said, knowing the woman couldn’t hear, but feeling it was important anyway. He hadn’t been able to save her or her husband. He’d tried. And he’d failed._

“I won’t fail you, though, will I?” _He smiled at the baby who blinked lazily at him, like she was suddenly tired. He didn’t like children, as a rule. They were messy and loud and often annoying. But there was something about this little girl… something unique. It made his still heart feel heavy, whatever it was. And as the baby continued to blink at him, he had a sudden feeling his entire existence had permanently changed._

_He held her closer, the sirens stopping just outside, flashing reds and blues breaching every opening of the crumbled building. He spared the carnage no more glances. He didn’t wait to see the officers move inside. He just disappeared into the dark with the infant cradled in his arms, leaving the ghosts of the freshly dead behind with a promise that he would die for that little girl if he had to…_

***  
-Present Day-

For about the hundredth time that day, Harrison Wells looked over the math proof on his desk as he relaxed back in his chair, plucking his glasses off and setting them down on the surface of the desk. He didn’t need the glasses, not really. But over the years, he’d gotten used to them. They’d made him seem more normal. Or as normal as one in his position could be. He shifted the papers, one to the next. He had every equation memorized, not to mention he was already connecting dots in his mind, expanding on everything before him. It was easy for him to do, like breathing. Not that he needed to do that, either. 

The truth was, he didn’t need Cisco Ramon for this. He had the math proof, which he could have easily bought from the man. And he had his already established teams of scientists to do the rest of the work. But he’d meant what he said… he wasn’t in the habit of stealing. And if Ramon was half as brilliant as Wells thought he was, as Snow’s research said he was… well, he was definitely a man he wanted working for him. 

He had to admit, there was something very unique about Ramon, too. About the energy he gave off, more precisely. Everyone gave off their own kind of energy. Most humans felt relatively the same to him. But every now and then, he’d come across one that felt different. Sometimes vastly different, like Ramon did. Among all else it was, Cisco’s energy felt like pure joy to him.

There was also the fact that there were very few people that piqued Harry’s interest in anything. Not only did Ramon seem highly intelligent, far more than most, but he was… alluring, intriguing, innately attractive to Harry in a way that had nothing to do with the warm blood pumping through the shorter man’s veins. Ramon was slightly damaged too, somehow, though that didn’t diminish what Harry had felt from him. There was Ramon’s wit to go with all of that. He’d made Wells smile without even really trying. And goodness knows that wasn’t easy to do.

Ramon was ballsy, too. Wells was used to having people be in awe of him. It came with the territory and the name he’d made for himself. But what he wasn’t used to was a complete stranger being instantly willing to stand up to him. He liked that. A lot.

“I know that look.” Jesse said, walking in with a cup of coffee in her hands, the glass doors of his office closing behind her with a slight hiss. She was wearing a gray woman’s business suit, a maroon blouse and black flats. Always so professional. He could smell the slightest hint of her vanilla shampoo and the blood in her body, rolling beneath the surface. He felt her calm flowing around her, the subtle taste of happiness within. He smiled warmly at her, brightly, unable to hide the slight flash of pointed teeth as she sat down in the chair across from him. 

“And what look is that?” He leaned forward, resting his forearms on the desk and clasping his hands over the papers, watching her as his smile turned into something calm and at ease. For all that she was nothing like him, Jesse was literally the most important part of his world.

“The, ‘I found something fantastic’ look.” She remarked, completely unperturbed by the man sitting across from her. He shook his head with a light smirk, then pushed the papers toward her. 

“That’s because I did.” He waited as she set her coffee down, turning the papers so she didn’t have to read upside down. Her brows slowly raised.

“Wow, Dad… I mean, really. Where’d you find this?” She began shifting through the papers, sparing him a glance. Harry stood, straightening his shirt out as he rounded the desk to stand beside her.

“A brilliant engineer. One who will, hopefully, accept my offer.” He gripped her shoulder, feeling the warmth from her body seep into his colder digits before moving past her to the table in the back of the room. “Should find out tonight.” He pushed everything away from the particle accelerator blueprints, then pressed his palms flat to the table before him, bent slightly over as he examined it. “With that proof, and this man’s unique brains, we’ll be able to complete this. Finally.”

“That man’s unique brains, huh?” Jesse parroted, standing and moving toward him, an all too knowing smile ghosting her lips. “Since when do you compliment people’s brains?” He raised his eyes when she stood opposite him, narrowing his gaze a little.

“I compliment your brains all the time.” He jested. She chuckled comfortably. 

“That’s because you’re partial.” The look she gave him was decidedly sarcastic. He smirked and looked back down.

“He’s smart, Jesse. This… Cisco Ramon.” He straightened up and crossed his arms over his chest. “He was able to come up with the missing math, by himself. Something I paid four other people to do. All of whom failed.” He curled one corner of his mouth. “All of whom are fired, by the way.” He pointed at her and began rolling the blueprints up.

“Yeah, not doing that.” She knew he wouldn’t make her do it. He wasn’t one to put people out of work. Central City’s S.T.A.R. Labs had literally one hundred and fifty employees, total. (Other locations around the country sported larger numbers. But the research done here was far too important to trust to too many people.) And everyone who worked for him tended to always work for him, till they either found a better job (unlikely), moved, or died. There was no other reason for that fact except that he offered not only good pay and great benefits, but lifetime job security as long as they pulled their weight. Which they always did. Typically. True, he wasn’t too happy the four engineers he’d hired for this particular project were turning out to be less than exemplary. But he wouldn’t fire them. Maybe just relocate them to another project. Or Jesse would.

His adopted daughter was incredibly brilliant herself, holding several doctorates of her own at only twenty-four years old. A fact that not only made him proud, but exceptionally protective – not that she couldn’t fully take care of herself. But part of him always had the threat of other vampires settled in the back of his mind. One in particular. He was no stranger to the spotlight, but Jesse? He did everything he could to keep her out of it. Besides, it wasn’t a place for her to be. She was far too wonderful, far too sweet, sometimes completely naive. 

That was probably his own fault, raising her among all things science and in the halls of S.T.A.R. Labs didn’t really afford her the opportunity to grow up like a normal modern girl. But because of that, Jesse was already successful, worlds beyond any of her peers. Not only did she run her own departments at the labs, but he let her handle personnel matters. Mostly because she was much better with people than he was. She could get anyone to gravitate to her just by being… well, her.

When he’d found the little brunette infant nearly twenty-five years ago, covered in the blood of her mother, crying desperately, he could have given her to a hospital or an orphanage, even dropped her off at a church or left her for the police to find. After all, she wasn’t his responsibility. He’d tried to save her parents. He just hadn’t gotten there in time. That didn’t mean he had to take care of that tiny, helpless little creature he picked up off the debris riddled floor, did it? But he knew, with all he was, Tess would never again be the forgiving type. She wouldn’t let the poor thing live. And Jesse had stopped crying the moment his cold hands wrapped around her, stopped flailing the moment he’d cradled her in his arms. It was the moment he knew… he couldn’t let her go.

After making sure she had no family to speak of, he pulled whatever strings he needed to pull and adopted her. It was the most rewarding, most intelligent thing he’d ever done, as far as he was concerned. Any other vampires worth their salt would have left her there. Maybe even killed her. But Harrison Wells had learned a long time ago that he was nothing like the rest of his kind. And he never would be. Because where the rest of them inevitably lost their humanity, he never had. And never would. Because of his daughter, who knew exactly where she came from and exactly what he was and loved him regardless. Because of people like Caitlin Snow and Barry Allen, among a few others. And maybe… because of someone like Cisco Ramon.

“Earth to Dad. Come in Dad.” Jesse said loftily, waving a hand in front of his face. He blinked, clearing his throat and catching her raised brows and slight smile. “Where’d you go?” She asked, stepping closer to him. 

“Sorry.” He smiled back, reaching a hand up and curling some hair behind one of her ears, letting his palm rest momentarily on her cheek. “I was thinking.” Jesse searched his face then, brows furrowing a little.

“He really struck a chord with you, didn’t he,” She stated, “With all this.” She motioned to the blueprints as she tilted her head. He shook his head a little.

“That’s my Jesse, always so quick.” He said softly. She smiled brightly at the words she’d probably heard him speak a million times throughout her life. “Yes,” he dropped his hand. “Yes, he did.” He plucked an elastic off the table and began smoothing it over the now rolled sheet in his hands. “He’s… intriguing.” He shrugged, and Jesse couldn’t hide the surprise on her face.

“Really… intriguing.” She grinned then, wiggling her brows a little. Harry rolled his eyes at her and stepped past her with a loud sigh.

“Oh, Jesse… not that again.” He knew exactly where she was going with this. 

“What?” She asked, feigning innocence.

“You know exactly what.” He growled a little, tossing the sheet onto his desk and turning to face her, hands on his hips, lips in a stern line. “I’m not having this conversation again.”

“Well, I want to.” She stated firmly, moving toward him and crossing her arms over her chest. “Come on, Dad… when are you going to let yourself find someone.” She motioned her head at him. “You can’t be alone forever.”

“I’m not alone.” He stared her down. She didn’t budge an inch, raising a single brow.

“I don’t count.” 

Harry sighed heavily, casting his eyes upward for a moment. He understood where Jesse was coming from. This wasn’t the first time, and apparently wouldn’t be the last time, they broached the subject of his non-existent love life. It wasn’t that he couldn’t… in fact, there were many people who would gladly have a relationship with him. 

Men, women. It didn’t matter. He had always been attracted to who people were, not their genders. But he wasn’t human. Plain and simple. That’s what it always came down to for him. The select few who knew what he was were able to accept that he was a vampire, simply because they were just amazing damn people. But asking a romantic partner to do the same? He just didn’t have that kind of fight in him anymore. 

He felt Jesse’s hand on his shoulder then, letting his eyes fall back to her. “I worry, Dad. That’s all. I just… you're so lonely. It’s not healthy.” He cracked a light smile at that.

“I am fairly certain that not having a love life isn’t going to kill me, Jesse.” Which was true. He’d spent centuries alone before creating S.T.A.R. Labs, and even then, his life hadn’t been entirely full till Jesse had come along. It wasn’t that he hadn’t had the occasional romp or two… he was a vampire, after all. And there were just some hungers even he couldn’t deny after awhile. But a partner? An actual relationship? He didn’t even think he was capable of that anymore. 

“My whole life, you’ve given everything to this place. To me.” She sighed, stepping closer to him. “Sometimes I can’t help but wish you’d let yourself have something, too.” She moved easily into him, hugging his taller frame. He didn’t hesitate to hold her back, resting his chin on top of her head.

“Don’t worry so much about me, sweetheart.” He urged, looking across the room to the large bay windows that were tinted heavily against the mid-day sun. “Besides, I have everything I want.” Which was mostly true. He’d be lying if he didn’t say there were times when he was so thoroughly lonely that it was suffocating. But he’d lived a very long life. Over four hundred years of one. Loneliness had become more like an old friend than a burden. Jesse didn’t need to know that, however. He felt her smile, an energy all its own, before she pulled away enough to meet his gaze.

“You think you can hide how you really feel, but you forget. I know everything about you.” She explained, her smile going a bit wider at the look on his face.

“You do not. I am a goddamn mystery.” He pouted lightly, and she chuckled at him as she pulled completely away, moving to grab her coffee back up.

“Yeah, you keep telling yourself that.” She cradled the mug in both hands again. “I’ve got a lunch meeting with Caitlin, and then I have to head out. Do you need anything before I go?” She sipped quietly, waiting for him to respond. He shook his head. 

“No, go on. I’m fine.”

“Okay.” She patted his arm as she passed, “Don’t forget to feed.” She called over her shoulder, then opened one of the tall glass doors, disappearing into the hall.

For a long, quiet moment, he stood there, his fingers tucked into his pockets as he thought about far too many things. And he probably would have stayed that way for awhile if the phone hadn’t rung and brought him back to the present. He sighed heavily, picking up the receiver. “What?” Yeah, he wasn’t always the most polite person. He hated talking on the phone, as necessary as it was. “Wait, Allen, slow down. Start over.” He froze in place at the words Barry spoke, a weight appearing on his chest out of nowhere, his eyes growing angry as they slowly dragged across the floor to the door.

Ramon had been mugged on the way to his apartment. Beaten quite badly, actually. The only reason they knew was because Detective West had found the S.T.A.R. Labs folder in the man’s messenger bag and called the office. “Cancel the rest of my meetings and have someone bring the car around.” He hung up the phone without a second thought, feeling… wait, why was he feeling so suddenly edgy? The man didn’t even work for him yet. And for some reason, that didn’t matter. Because in a blink he was gone, the glass door closing on its own…


	3. "Who even are you?"

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Cisco feels like his life has turned into one long waking dream. Harry learns things he never could have bargained on. Nothing is ever simple.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> ((So, at the end of this chapter, I was pretty vague about something in particular. I just want you to know it's not (only) because I'm evil. I swear I'll reveal it as the story goes along. Hang in there! And please let me know what ya'll think! LOVE YAS! -QD))

Cisco felt like sun-ripened crap. Like an ant who’d been burned under a magnifying glass. Like a pinky toe that had been stubbed too hard on a corner. 

He felt like a lot of things. 

But mostly? He was just angry. Because seriously?! Six years. Six years he’d lived in that shit hole of a neighborhood and not once had he been mugged. And it had to happen on what was supposed to be the first day of the rest of his thus far pathetic life. Because of course.

Sure, not getting mugged might have been a bit of a miracle, considering where he lived. But he’d never really considered the luck of it. Until now, when he was sitting in a hospital room with busted ribs, a concussion, and stitches on his left forearm. Not to mention a nice big bruise that ranged from his left eye to his cheekbone and slightly lower, and a split lip from faceplanting into asphalt.

The two assholes who’d cornered him, brandishing knives, didn’t believe him when he’d told them he had no money on him. One of them slashed his arm for saying it. His wallet was pathetically empty, nothing but a metro card, his ID, and a few old receipts. They’d dumped the contents of his messenger bag out, the contract he’d gotten from Doctor Wells landing in a nasty puddle along with his math proof. When they realized he didn’t have anything of worth, or at least worth to them, they beat the shit out of him.

Cisco didn’t consider himself the sort to back down from a fight. But he’d been pretty much useless once he’d been punched in the gut, the air driving out of him too quickly and dropping him to his knees. Everything after that was a lot of kicking. Too much. Enough that one last kick to the head knocked his ass out.

He wasn’t sure who called the cops. He was grateful for whoever did. Thanks to them, he woke up in a hospital room nearly an hour later. And he decided that was pretty much the only good thing to happen to him today.

The doctor had already been in to talk to him, once the nurse had realized he was awake. They’d offered him more medication, something stronger. But he wasn’t going to be able to afford these medical bills as it was. He could admit, he was pretty damn sore. But he wasn’t going to tack on another forty bucks or whatever just because he was a little bit beat up.

Okay, a lot beat up. But that wasn’t the point.

Once he’d been told the extent of his injuries, and talked to a rather good-natured Detective, he’d flat out asked the doctor if he could leave. The guy looked at him like he had twelve heads. He wanted Cisco to stay overnight for observation. But they couldn’t keep him here. If he wasn’t about to add medication to the bill, no way was he adding a one-night stay. The doctor tried to argue with him, but in the end he had to let him go. Which was why Cisco was sitting on the edge of the gurney after very stiffly, and slowly, getting dressed. He had to wait for the discharge papers. And it seemed to be taking them forever. It had been nearly thirty minutes, in fact. The only reason he knew that was because he’d been watching the mundane white clock on the wall.

It was almost six o’clock. 

Which meant there was no way he was going to get to S.T.A.R. Labs in time. He wondered how willing Doctor Wells would be to still hire him. He frowned at the thought. The bossy boss-man had said specifically six. And don’t be late. Cisco had a feeling that Wells wasn’t used to being ‘stood up.’ He’d probably just tell Cisco that he’d had his chance, and he’d completely blown it.

Cisco closed his eyes, refusing to look at the clock anymore. His head throbbed. His ribs hurt like a bitch. Hell, everything hurt. When he finally opened his eyes and saw Wells standing in the doorway watching him, it made him grimace and wince as he startled in surprise. Because holy shit! “Dude, what the…” he muttered, teetering slightly, gripping his ribs. “Don’t sneak up on me like that!”

Wells smirked a little. A tug of lips that was somehow intimidating and filled with humor at the same time. Not to mention yummy. _‘What the hell is wrong with you? Thinking about that right now, damn…’_ Cisco inwardly chastised himself. But honestly, he really couldn’t help it. Mister Tall-Dark-and-Handsome over there was pretty much exactly Cisco’s type. At least physically. He knew nothing about him personally, except for what he’d read.

“You startle easy.” Wells said, taking a few steps in. He was wearing dark clothes again, as casual as before, with a trench coat added to the ensemble. One hand was dangling a pair of sunglasses, the other lost in one of his pockets. 

“Thanks for that.” Cisco groused, unable to help the agitation as the pain in his body settled back into a roaming hurt he could almost tolerate. Wells kept that smirk a moment longer, then pulled his hand out of his pocket, folding his sunglasses. Cisco motioned to him with just his head. “Why…” he swallowed a little, “Why are you here? How did you even know?” Cisco was a quick one. He had a tendency to go right to the point, which seemed to please Wells because his smirk turned into a quiet smile as he slipped his hands into his pockets. The change in expression brought a whole new set of qualities to his face, ones Cisco definitely liked. Okay… maybe he couldn’t shut off his primal brain, but could anyone really blame him?

“Detective West called the office.” He stepped a little closer to Cisco, leaving only three or so feet between them, the blue eyes that Cisco was beginning to think were too damn beautiful to be completely real were staring right at him. There was also this energy Cisco couldn’t place… it felt like it displaced the air between them and seeped straight into Cisco’s sore body instantly. It was… pleasant, actually. Maybe even a little bit instantly intoxicating. What the fudge? “His daughter works for me.”

“Of course she does.” He mumbled, clearing his throat, attempting to ignore the strange sensation that was settling in his chest because it was just too weird. “Wait, you found out I got mugged and you came here? Why?” Seriously, _why_? Doctor Harrison Wells was probably a thoroughly busy man. He ran S.T.A.R. Labs for Pete’s sake. Why would he bother coming all the way across the city to a hospital just because someone told him that a person he potentially wanted to hire was beaten up?

“We look after our own.” He said plainly, making Cisco’s brows raise for a second at the pure at ease quality of the statement that was just not what he’d expected to hear... But then those eyes of Wells started roaming over him, taking in the bruise, the busted lip, the way he cradled his ribs, the bandage on his arm, and probably the fact that he was dressed and ready to go. Slowly, he looked back at Cisco’s own eyes, which were probably as wide as they felt. “You’re being discharged?” Wells raised a brow. Cisco blinked.

“Damn straight.” He forced out, sliding off the gurney with a very visibly pained expression as his feet met the floor. He bent a little, letting air out slowly as his ribs protested. Then he found himself very aware that Wells had both hands on either of his shoulders, steadying him. And that strange, pleasant feeling in his chest grew about ten times. He stood up as tall as he could manage, clearing his throat a little.

“You sure that’s a good idea, Ramon?” Wells dropped his hands when he seemed satisfied that Cisco wasn’t going to teeter. Right away, he felt the loss of that seemingly amicable touch, cool spots lingering on the fabric over his skin. He frowned a little at Wells’ question.

“You paying my medical bills, Doctor Wells?” He didn’t mean to sound so sarcastic. But honestly? His head was pounding like he had his own personal marching band in his skull and he really did just want to go home and pass out on his super uncomfortable air mattress and forget today ever happened.

“Harry.” Wells said, stepping back once, giving Cisco a little more space now that he was standing. Some part of Cisco really didn’t want him to. But he stamped that down quick, because _nooooo_. He did breathe in, blinking.

“What?”

“It’s Harry. To my friends and the people who work with me.” 

“Are you assuming I said yes to your offer?” Cisco demanded. Really, why was he being so belligerent? Wells didn’t deserve that. He hadn’t done anything wrong. In fact, the guy had literally gone out of his way to come see him. Cisco sighed, shaking his head. “Sorry, I’m… I didn’t mean that.” His voice was soft now. But then his eyes got wide again. “I do want the job, by the way. Seriously, Doct-… uh, Harry. I’d grovel, but I don’t think I’d be able to get off the floor.” He blurted out quickly. The effect was Harry smirking again. 

“I know.” Harry reached into the inside pocket of his jacket, pulling out a damp and rather dirty folded piece of paper. He held it out between them with two fingers. Cisco glanced at it incredulously before taking it and unfolding it. It was the offer Cisco had signed, the one that had landed in the crappy water in the road when he’d been jumped. Harry (so weird to call him that, but okay) had probably gotten it from the Detective.

“Huh.” He said flatly. “So…” he lowered his hands, “You haven’t really answered my previous question. About why you’re here.”

“I told you, we-“ 

“Look after our own, yeah you said that. But why _you_? What is the founder and director of S.T.A.R. Labs doing here?” He pushed, honestly wanting to know. Because to Cisco, it just made no logical sense. Wells had to have had people to do this sort of thing for him, whatever this actually was. For an almost too long moment, Harry didn’t speak. He just slipped his hands into his pockets and stared at him. And the result was Cisco’s mouth going dry, his palms feeling sweaty, his heart picking up speed a little. Because being stared at with such intensity was equal parts disconcerting and intimate.

“My assistant is having your apartment cleared out. I won’t have someone who works for me live in such dangerous conditions. You’ll stay at S.T.A.R. Labs until you find suitable housing. And don’t worry about the medical bill. It’s taken care of.” He turned then, still talking as he headed for the open glass door of the hospital room, “Meet me at the elevator when you’re ready.” And just like that, he disappeared out of the room and around the corner, leaving Cisco completely speechless and flabbergasted. 

What the hell had just happened?

He flopped his rear down on the gurney and instantly regretted it when pain shot through his ribs, making him squeeze his eyes shut and grab them again. “Sonofamonkey!” he swore loudly, forcing his body to just cut it out for one damn minute. He opened his eyes to see a startled nurse standing there with a clipboard and pen, ready to check him out. “Uh…” he cleared his throat, “Sorry?”

As she rattled off her instructions and held the pen out to him so he could sign the papers, he completely tuned her out. There was so much rattling through his aching head. Like… why hadn’t Harry (okay, maybe he could get used to calling him that) answered the damn question? And they better be grabbing his cat, too. Why wasn’t he more freaked out about his whole life being uprooted so suddenly? And, let’s be honest, he didn’t have much of a life to uproot. Also, what was that strangely pleasant feeling being near Harry had put in his… uh… everything? And no one should be that good looking, dammit. Why was he so subdued when Harry had been staring at him? And someone please save him from himself.

“Good luck.” The nurse said, pulling the pen and clipboard out of his hands before smiling and leaving.

“Yeah,” he sighed out as he stood, much slower this time, then reached for his bag and sweatshirt off the chair against the wall. “I think I’m gonna need it.” The nurse didn’t even look back. Cisco stood there, doing his best to compose himself. Then he made his stiff, painful way out of the room…

* * *

This was turning out to be one large experience of complete whackadoo. 

Because Harrison Wells apparently didn’t travel in a limo, or have a fancy car, or use a driver. He wasn’t like any rich, successful guy Cisco had ever heard of, actually. He glanced again at the taller man as they stopped at a red light, Harry sitting easily in the driver’s seat of the all-black Navigator, one hand rested beneath his chin, his elbow on the door as his other hand held firmly to the steering wheel. This time of year, the sun was already down low, but Harry wore his sunglasses anyway, hiding his crystal blue eyes from view. “You keep staring.” His voice suddenly broke through the quiet, a softly raspy thing that seemed to flow so easily between them. Cisco found himself blinking and looking away.

“Yeah, well…” he cleared his throat, for like the millionth time that day, like he needed to remind his throat to work properly, “You confuse the crap outta me.” No point in being dishonest about it. He had a tendency to be blunt at times. Good-humored, sure. But still blunt. It was probably why he didn’t really have any friends. Or that’s what he told himself. 

“How so?” Harry didn’t seem to mind. In fact, since he’d met the man, Harry didn’t seem to mind much at all. Nothing bothered him, got under his skin. Though Cisco could tell just by watching his expressions that he must have one hell of a temper when pushed to it. Cisco shrugged, watching the light turn green, feeling the SUV move forward as Harry stepped on the gas.

“You offer to give a literal _nobody_ a job. You drive yourself to the hospital to see me, in a regular vehicle. You pay my medical bill, which I didn’t ask for. You just decide to… to fix my living situation.” His voice was getting a little louder as he kept speaking, the frustration and anger he’d been feeling for hours bubbling out of him again. “Which, by the way, better include my cat!” He pointed at Harry, “And what’s with the mysterious and handsome thing, hm?” He frowned. “You lay it on pretty thick. And I don’t know if you’ve noticed, but you don’t even know me. Why are you doing all this stuff? Helping me out like this? And don’t say it’s because you look out for your own. Cause that’s not an answer.” And just like that, Cisco clamped his mouth shut, all the fight going out of him because, during his little rant, he’d pretty much just called his new boss good looking right to his face. _Well, fudge._

Harry didn’t look at him through any of it. But his lips… they’d begun to curl up into a smile, slowly, bit by bit with everything Cisco rambled. The silence stretched on far too heavily after Cisco had shut up. It wasn’t till they pulled up to a gate at S.T.A.R. Labs that lead to a parking garage that Harry finally looked at him. “You’re not used to people being kind to you.” He stated. Just like that. Read him like a damn ABC book. Harry pressed the button to roll the window down, slipping a security card out of the center console and using it to open the gate. Then he pulled the SUV forward, into the dimly lit underground area. “You’ll learn.” He added. 

“I’ll learn?” Cisco chuckled, feeling strangely subdued. “Dude… you’re so… not normal.” Harry peeled his sunglasses off, tossing them to the dashboard and shaking his head. But there was still a ghost of a smile on his face. He didn’t say anything more as he pulled up to the elevator. A man in a black suit with a white tie was standing there waiting, watching the Navigator stop. Harry put it in park and relaxed his hands on his thighs, staring out the windshield. 

“No, no I’m not.” He finally said softly, something passing over his features that was almost… sad? But then he looked at Cisco. His eyes, even in the sickly yellow light of the parking garage, stood out like beacons. And they were looking at Cisco like he was the only star in a pitch-black sky. He felt all the air go out of his lungs, his mouth dried up, and he was pretty sure his heart stopped beating, too. Because there it was again. That odd energy, only far more apparent. It was everywhere, in Cisco, washing over him, swirling inside him. And _GOD_ … he didn’t want it to stop. The moment he realized it, he swallowed. The simple action seemed to make Harry blink, confusion filling his features. “Neither are you.” He whispered lightly, something like awe in his tone. It didn’t match his expression.

Harry looked away, reaching for the door. He stepped out and shut it with an echoing thunk. And just like that, the sensations eased up and Cisco remembered to breathe again, only to startle when his own door opened, the suited man standing there and holding it wide. “Mr. Ramon.” He motioned. The guy sounded and looked like every tv show security guard he’d ever seen. Slowly, he swung his legs out. But standing seemed to be a lot harder to do after sitting for ten minutes. His breathing came out in shallow bursts as he nearly bent over again, pain searing through his ribs when his feet met the ground. 

“Damn…” he closed his eyes, willing the pain to stop. Then he felt hands on him, steady, strong, cool and comforting. He couldn’t have said why, but he leaned into the body those hands belonged to. Probably because he wasn’t sure he could really keep himself upright without help. When he opened his eyes, he realized it was Harry holding on to him. And he attempted to straighten up.

“Easy. You don’t need to move fast. There’s no hurry, Ramon.” 

Cisco didn’t dare look at Harry this time. But he nodded, not daring to speak, either. He was afraid of what might come out of his mouth. With his luck, it would probably be something like, _‘Don’t let go. I love your hands. Are you sure you’re not some kind of really fantastic walking daydream? I would so throw myself at you right now if I wasn’t beaten like a pinata earlier.’_ He grimaced at his own musings, choosing to focus on the act of actually walking. 

Harry guided him steadily toward the elevator after handing his keys off to the security guy. He reached forward with one hand, hitting the up button, still holding on to Cisco with the other. Like Harry didn’t want to let him go. Or maybe that was just his imagination. Harry was just helping him, that’s all. Like any good person worth their salt would do. But then there was that thrumming in his own chest… that energy, that pull. And it made Cisco think he was losing his mind. And maybe he didn’t care. He found himself staring at Harry all over again.

“Who even are you?” Cisco found himself saying out loud, the wonder in his tone catching himself off guard. Harry looked down at him just as the elevator doors opened and the SUV pulled away. And for what felt like forever, in the best possible way, they just stared at each other. He couldn’t read Harry’s expression, but it calmed everything in Cisco’s head for the first time all day. 

When the elevator doors began to close, Harry shot his arm out, tearing his eyes away and clearing his throat lightly. “Come on.” He said, the doors opening back up. They stepped in and Harry let Cisco settle against one of the super shiny stainless steel walls. Even though Cisco hadn’t meant to say what he said out loud, he was very aware that, yet again, Harry hadn’t answered the damn question.

The ride up was painfully quiet. Cisco was doing his best to look everywhere but Harry. He was failing miserably. Because what he really wanted to do was study the entirety of the man. Not that _that_ would ever happen. But it didn’t mean Cisco couldn’t think about it, right? It was better than thinking about the pain in his body. When the elevator came to a stop and the doors opened, Harry turned to him and wordlessly slipped an arm behind Cisco’s back, Harry’s hand on his hip, forcing Cisco to tuck slightly in his side to help him move away from the wall. And that didn’t make his heart jump like a kangaroo, not at all. But he didn’t really have time to think about it.

What he saw when they exited was not what he’d expected. 

Shit. Nothing that had happened the last few days was anything he’d expected or could have ever predicted.

The living room they stepped into was large, wide-open, dark wooden floors beneath their feet. There were floor to ceiling very tinted windows, a balcony outside that stretched the length of one whole windowed wall. The ceiling itself was high with bar lights on to add a touch of luminescence. The furniture was modern, beyond well kept, and everything was pristine. To the far end was a dining room area, before that a set of leather chairs and a long, leather wrap around couch that sort of split the room in half. Off to the right of all that, keeping to the open concept, was a full fancy kitchen decked in black and white. 

It had an air of money, and of being very high up. And it wasn’t empty, either. Barry Allen, who he’d met already, stood up from the couch, setting a glass of soda on a coaster on a shiny black end table. “Cisco!” He exclaimed, crossing the floor toward him and Harry easily. “Damn, man. Been worried as hell about you.” Barry looked seriously concerned as he eyed what he could see of Cisco’s injuries. Behind him, two women stood up as well, walking over to him with concerned smiles. “How you feeling?”

Cisco just blinked. “Like I died and woke up in an alternate reality?” He quipped, unable to quite help a tiny smile of his own. 

“When we heard what happened, well… we’re really glad you’re okay.” The dark-skinned woman said softly, keeping that smile. She was dressed in form-fitting jeans, brown wedges, and a sleeveless sea green blouse. Her dark hair was down around her shoulders, and she had a single long silver necklace with a sort of swirly pendant on the end. The woman was practically picture perfect.

“Have… have we met?” He asked, feeling Harry slip away from him. There was an instant feeling of loss he didn’t want to quantify just then. Instead, he looked from one woman to the other.

“No, no not yet.” She extended a hand. “I’m Iris West-Allen, I think you met my Dad?” She asked as they shook. “And this is Doctor Caitlin Snow.” The brunette beamed brightly and extended her hand. Cisco shook hers, too. She looked just as perfectly put together as Iris. Wearing brown dress slacks and a tan blouse. She’d taken her pumps off by the couch, so her feet were bare. But it didn’t seem to bother her in the least.

“You seem pretty overwhelmed by all this, huh.” She stated more than asked. There was just such a friendly air about them that Cisco didn’t even bother debating the truth of her words. 

“I, uh… I’m not really sure what to think of… everything.” He said sheepishly. The three pretty people smiled at the same time. 

“Come and sit. You must be really sore, man.” Barry offered, motioning to the couch before they all began moving. Cisco followed, eyeing everything. There was no tv, but there was a hell of a sound system, with speakers in every corner and one to either side of the couch. There were books, dozens of them, along a low shelf, and a plush black carpet on the floor in front of the couch. The place was damn sweet. And nothing like he’d ever seen before. Rich people, man.

“Where’s Jesse?” Harry asked from across the way without looking at anyone. He was standing in the kitchen, behind a long black and white marble counter. He’d shed his jacket somewhere and had rolled the sleeves up of his black shirt. He reached into the refrigerator and began pulling food out. Already prepped chicken, fresh vegetables, a cheese block. 

Cisco found himself watching Harry as he slowly sat, sinking into a chair across from the couch. It wasn’t that the couch wasn’t big enough for everyone. It was more like he wasn’t sure he could get off something that low to the ground at the moment. The chair he chose was a fair bit higher and had a high back with long armrests. Once he was sunk in it completely, he let out a little sound. Everything ached in the awful settled way he’d been feeling since he’d woken up. Only now a little more so. Caitlin gave him a sympathetic look.

“She’s down at R and D. Guess Freeman had some sort of issue with this week’s order.” Iris spoke up, settled snug up against Barry’s side. 

“Again?” Harry grumbled. “Man is an incompetent fool. Jesse better fire him this time.” He didn’t even sound like he was kidding, setting down a baking dish with a sigh and a shake of his head before turning to grab cooking wine from a cabinet and a few other things. For some reason, it all seemed strangely domestic. Another thing he wouldn’t have expected from someone in Harry’s position. Though he supposed people had to eat, right? Which begged the question… what were these people doing there? What was _he_ doing there?!

“Cisco, with your permission, after dinner, I’d like to examine your injuries again.” Caitlin spoke up, drawing his attention. “Emergency rooms are good, but I may be able to offer you better care.”

“Iris said you’re a doctor… a medical doctor?” He asked, actually pleased he remembered the chocolate skinned woman’s name. That was a miracle in itself.

“Bio-engineer, actually. Though I seem to end up moonlighting as S.T.A.R. Labs’ personal physician.” She smiled sweetly at him. “I promise, I know where all the parts are supposed to go.” She gave him a slight smirk and he found himself smiling again.

“I’m glad you accepted Harry’s offer.” Barry spoke up, taking a sip of soda after. Cisco sobered a little.

“You know already?” 

“Of course. Oh! Before I forget,” He scooted forward just a little, rifling through his sweatshirt pocket and then pulled out a set of keys, standing up and walking over to him. “Here. It’s the key to the penthouse. You’ll need it to use the elevator you took up until we can get your security credentials squared away.” Cisco glanced from the bronze-tinted key in Barry’s hand, to his face, back to the key. Then gingerly took it from him.

“I’m… staying here?” He asked, glancing around at all of their faces. He stopped at Harry’s, catching his blue eyes. The tall man said nothing, just went back to prepping food.

“Absolutely.” Caitlin said, almost firmly. “It’ll be far easier to keep an eye on your injuries if you’re close by.”

“You live here, too?” He asked quickly, lowering his hand to his lap. 

“We all do.” Barry said, sitting down, and giving him a long look. “Man, I’m sorry. Harry probably hasn’t filled you in on anything.” He raised his voice a little so Harry could hear him. “Which is totally like him.” Harry paused entirely, glanced around for a moment, then picked up something off the very end of the counter. He lobbed it at Barry, getting him right in the shoulder, then smiled with satisfaction as the young man exclaimed ‘ouch!’ and picked up the object as it rolled into his lap. “Stress balls are for squeezing, Harry. Not for throwing at people who stress you out.” He tossed it back toward the kitchen. Harry sidestepped it without even looking, the ball disappearing into the sink behind him. 

“You… you all live here. All of you.” He felt like shrinking into the chair entirely, a sudden rush of embarrassment and anxiety filling him up, making his already sore body feel that much sorer.

“Ignore them. They’re children. I’ll explain.” Iris said, looking straight at Cisco with calm eyes. “Caitlin runs the biotech labs, she’s been working for Harry the longest. Barry, who you already know, is the lead physicist at this location. I run media and public affairs. We all live at S.T.A.R. Labs. Here, in the penthouse. I mean, we could leave, but,” she shrugged, “It’s home. Has been for a long time now.”

“We all started out from… pretty simple starts. Harry took a chance on us, and… I dunno, we kind of all came together over time. We’re pretty much family now.” Caitlin added, the two women smiling at each other.

“Okay… I can see that. Sort of a F.R.I.E.N.D.S. type thing.” He offered up. “But, here’s a question… you all seem… ya know, young. Too young to be running your own departments.”

“Age doesn’t determine ability, Ramon.” Harry said as he opened the oven, sliding the baking dish with the chicken inside of it.

“What he said.” A young, well-dressed brunette said as she stepped off the elevator. When Harry saw her, his smile was bright but somehow subdued, as though he was trying to not smile too wide, teeth hidden. “Hi Dad, hi guys.” She stepped right up to him, letting him wrap his arms around her as she hugged him warmly. They stayed like that for a moment until Harry kissed the top of her head.

“Please tell me you fired him this time.” He stated as he let her go, and she just gave him a chastising look before moving away and ignoring him completely. “Cisco Ramon, right?” She asked, holding the counter as she pulled her shoes off one at a time and walked over to him. She stopped just before him, holding a hand out. “I’m Jesse Wells. I heard what happened to you. I’m so glad you’re okay. Or mostly okay. Has Caitlin looked at you yet?” He reached up and shook her hand, sure that he was wide-eyed again. That seemed to be a persistent state lately.

“Not yet, I’ll look him over after dinner.” Caitlin answered for him as she stood up and moved toward the kitchen. Jesse let go of his hand and stepped back slightly.

“That’s good, I’m glad.” She looked down at Cisco, and try as he might, he just couldn’t see a resemblance to Harry. Though that wasn’t what bothered him the most. Nothing he had ever read about the man said anything about him being married. He remembered, vaguely, that he had a daughter now that he thought about it. So… did he have a wife?

“Hey…” he found himself saying, looking up at her with a raised brow. “Don’t I get a say?”

“No.” And it wasn’t just one voice that answered, but all of them. In unison. _Holy jeez_. 

“Sorry, it’s just… if anyone can help you heal up correctly, it’s Caitlin.” Jesse smiled and turned away, plopping down in the only other chair in the area. All he could do was watch her, feeling like his life had suddenly been tossed on to the back of a runaway train that no one could stop.

By the time dinner was finished, which Harry had entirely cooked by himself, Cisco had learned a whole lot more than he’d bargained on. Like Harry was just a damn fantastic cook. Cisco hadn’t had food that good in… he couldn’t even remember. He’d definitely noticed that Harry didn’t eat a bite of it, though, and when Cisco asked why he wasn’t eating, he just shrugged and said he wasn’t hungry. Not odd at all, right? 

Cisco also learned that Harry and Jesse lived in the penthouse, too. And no, Harry was certainly not married. Also, Cisco had a room all to himself. With all his stuff in it (which honestly was kinda sad, he just had so damn little). His cat was there, too, waiting for him in his new room. He learned Barry and Iris had been married for a year now, and that Caitlin was not a fan of spiders (one fell in her lap while they were at the table, and she freaked right out.) They also said Cisco could have the run of the penthouse for as long as he was there. The place was definitely spacious, with plenty for him to do, lots of food if he liked to cook, play or listen to music (there was an actual grand feckin piano in the far corner of the dining area), or read whatever he wanted. Cisco could admit, he felt like he was having a stranger’s vacation. Not that he was going to complain.

They all spent time just talking, laughing, though Cisco mostly kept quiet, watching and learning. Caitlin was right when she said they were like a family. And it was pretty apparent, even as snarky and sarcastic as he seemed at times, that Harry was the head of that family. And none of them, not a single one, seemed at all bothered at the idea that Cisco was suddenly joining in. Not that he said or did much. Mostly because he felt completely out of place. He couldn’t help it. 

This… just _wasn’t_ his life. All this happiness, all this space, all this… everything. It wasn’t his. And yet, the idea that it could be? It honestly made him want to cry. Which he would never admit out loud. He decided to chalk his emotional state up to being in pain and having probably the worst day he’d had in seven years. Until tonight, of course. Tonight was a vast improvement. Nearing ten o’clock, Barry, Iris, and Jesse all called it a night. Caitlin left to gather some supplies to examine him with, something he wasn’t really looking forward to. It left him entirely alone with Harry for the first time in hours. 

“I should probably show you around.” Harry offered as he held a hand out to Cisco, who was honestly struggling to get out of his chair this time. Everything was just so goddamn stiff. When he only glanced at Harry’s hand, the taller man rolled his eyes so hard, he probably saw his own spine. Then he moved forward a lot quicker than Cisco counted on, putting a hand behind his back and grabbing him by the good wrist, hoisting him surprisingly easily into a standing position. 

“Ow, ow, ow…” Cisco fretted out, holding his ribs. Harry didn’t quite let him go, thankfully. He held on to him much like he had before they’d gotten onto the elevator, letting Cisco lean entirely into his body till he felt like he was far less likely to faceplant. “Sorry.” He mumbled. 

“Don’t apologize.” Harry said firmly, almost like an order. Cisco raised a brow. It was then he realized he was feeling it again… that peculiar energy from before. It trailed along his skin where Harry’s cool hands touched him. It sunk into his sore muscles, spread into his aching bones. It seemed to have them both frozen in time for a moment. Or that’s what it seemed like, because Harry was staring at him as hard as Cisco was watching his eyes. Then Harry darted his damn delicious stare away, urging Cisco forward gently. 

“Ya know,” Cisco began quietly, following Harry’s steady lead as they made their way out of the open concept living room-dining room-kitchen area toward a wide hallway, “When you said I was staying at S.T.A.R. Labs, this isn’t what I’d pictured.” He frowned, deeply. “Actually, none of this is what I pictured.”

“There isn’t a dorm here, Ramon. It’s a business.” Harry’s voice was flat and quiet. But Cisco felt his frown fading a little.

“Which totally explains the penthouse on the top floor.” Cisco shook his head, staring down the long hallway as Harry stopped them both. It was well lit, clean hardwood floors, and several doors lining either side.

“There’s a guest bathroom at the end of the hall, though you’ll have your own.” Harry began, ignoring the previous line of conversation entirely. That was turning out to be a pattern with him. “That’s Jesse’s room, Barry and Iris.” He pointed to two doors to the left, side by side to each other. “That’s Snow, that one will be you. And that’s mine.” He pointed to the right.

“This is just…” Cisco couldn’t help himself, speaking in a hushed tone to try to hide the growing unease he’d had since dinner. He didn’t finish the sentence though, and instantly regretted it when he felt Harry’s eyes on him. He seriously _felt_ him, like his stare alone was a physical thing. Or maybe just affecting Cisco physically. 

“Overwhelming.” Harry finished for him, drawing his attention. Damn, he was just so close. Too close. But Cisco didn’t find any urge to move away. He nodded tentatively. “Ramon, I’m sorry for what happened to you. But I want you working here, with us. We have to get you healthy to do that. I’d prefer you were safe, and better cared for than you were no doubt planning on.” He couldn’t have said why, but it seemed like Harry was leaving something out. He searched the brilliant blues before him.

“I feel like I should be thanking you. Thanking everyone… but I also feel like thank you is a pretty useless phrase right now.” He admitted, lowering his gaze and looking down at the floor. That was when he felt them, tears hot and wet rolling down his face. He hadn’t felt them coming, but once they were flowing, it was like he couldn’t stop them. A sob escaped his throat and he brought a hand up to cover his own mouth, squeezing his eyes shut. He did NOT want to cry in front of Harry. _No, no, no._ But dammit… it was too late for that. Because Harry was moving. And then Cisco had the sensation of being pulled forward, long arms wrapping around him, strong hands holding him somehow far too perfectly. Was Harry always this hands-on? Did it matter? It was just… too much. All too much. 

The pain in his body, the building exhaustion in his eyes, the rampaging thoughts in his head… it all boiled over as he simply cried. He didn’t even fight the hold Harry had on him. In fact, he let his hands cling to Harry’s shirt, planted his face right there beneath Harry’s chin, against his throat. And he just let it out, till the sounds stopped coming and he was just a tired, trembling thing.

“Oh my god…” Cisco whispered then, attempting to pull back, but wincing as he did. “I’m sorry… I… I didn’t mean to do that.” He sputtered, eyes feeling heavy as he met Harry’s once again too close gaze. Harry just nodded, taking a slow step back. But his hands… they lifted to Cisco’s face and smoothed away his tears, gentle and cool fingers not even hesitating to slip away the wetness on his cheeks. 

“Stop apologizing. You needed that.” There was so much conviction in Harry’s tone, Cisco didn’t have any sort of comeback. 

“You look exhausted, Cisco.” It was Caitlin’s voice to the side of him that finally made him cringe and jump a little. _Ack, ribs!_

“Ya’ll really need to stop sneaking up on me!” He blurted, and Harry chuckled a little. Caitlin smiled, but just motioned to him.

“Come on, let’s get you checked out so you can rest.” She reached for him, hooking one hand into his arm to steady him, her other hand holding a duffel bag with the S.T.A.R. Labs logo. Cisco let her pull him forward, away from Harry and to his new room. But he stopped as they reached his door, turning back momentarily. Harry had already begun to walk away.

“Hey, Harry.”

The tall man stopped and turned sidelong, watching him.

“Thanks for… for everything.” He managed. Harry’s face just became calm, his eyes sparkling as he nodded once. Cisco wasn’t sure why, but it felt like enough. And he disappeared into his room without needing any more encouragement.

* * * 

Harry's mind was a bit like a vault and a sponge all at once, which honestly had extraordinarily little to do with what he was and more to do with _who_ he was. Information was valuable. Knowledge was real power. Being able to recall what one needed at the drop of a hat was a skill set like any other. But everything that had happened in the last few days was adding up to be more than a little confusing. And he hated that. Even after all these years, he still hated not understanding. Because understanding was what kept him alive, and the people he loved alive. And yes, he did love them, even if he didn’t show it properly. Everyone here tonight? They were his family. The one he’d made for himself. 

And that reality was painful. Worth it, but so painful.

Because someday they’d all grow old and die. And he would have to witness it.

He wouldn’t change a thing, though. He’d suffer any amount of heartache to have these people in his life. A life he couldn’t share with just anyone. Jesse, Barry, Caitlin, Iris, even Detective West… they all knew who he was. What he was. At first, it had been an understandably difficult transition for all of them, each one discovering in different ways. But over time, they all seemed to accept it as just how the world was. And it didn’t seem to matter to them that Harry wasn’t like them. In his opinion, it made them remarkable. Not everyone could be so accepting of someone who was the definition of what most considered a monster.

Though, to be fair, he was a different sort of monster, that was for sure. He was stronger than most vampires, something he’d learned very early on. There were certain levels of strength among them. Some never made it past the youngling stage. Most over time grew to be strong, intelligent, agile. And then others, though not nearly as many, become Alpha like he was, a term he honestly rather disliked, but it was one all vampires used, since before he’d been turned. 

It was his strength that seemed to give him an upper hand. It wasn’t entirely a physical thing, though there was definitely that. It was a strength that fed his intelligence, his spirit, even his undead heart. It was a strength that allowed him to have complete mastery over his hunger.

Hunger was a vampire’s true curse. It manifested itself in many forms, not the least of which was the blood they needed to stay alive. Be it money, power, sex, drugs, collecting, whatever. There were many ways it could take hold, and vampires always, without fail, sought to ease those hungers. Harry, however, learned long ago to control his hunger. Not to let it control him. Many vampires learned to do the same. But very few to the extent he seemed to have. It wasn’t ego on his part. He knew enough about his kind and met more than enough of them to know that as fact.

Hunger, of course, wasn’t the only downfall to being what he was. Vampires who lived so long often lost much of the memory of where they'd started. But not Harry. He remembered the village he grew up in, his seven brothers, his hard-working father, his ever-kind mother. He remembered the simplicity that life had offered. He remembered how intelligent he’d been, even as a human, choosing to take stock more in science and expanding the human mind than he did God. He remembered falling in love with a woman who was in every way his equal, and how amazing it was to have her love him in return. And he remembered when all of that had been torn away from him... sometimes he wished he couldn’t remember anything at all.

But that would also mean he wouldn’t remember Jesse’s whole life, or meeting the incredible people he had come to call family. He wouldn’t remember meeting Cisco Ramon, which he was beginning to think was an event that had far more purpose than making the particle accelerator a reality.

There was a power to Ramon. All humans had power to an extent. Something buried deep down that most couldn’t tap into. But Ramon’s power slid beneath the surface of his skin, teasing, alluring. Harry had tried to convince himself he’d imagined it the few dozen times he’d felt it. But it had mingled with his own brand of power so easily that he simply couldn’t deny that it was there, or that it pulled him so easily in. It was curious, so very intriguing because it seemed Cisco had no idea it was even there. And it was pure. The only word that applied. Not a lick of darkness in that energy, in that power, in that man. Or at least not the sort of darkness Harry was used to. 

Despite his daughter’s attempts to convince him otherwise over the years, Harry was very much a creature. A man, yes. But there was an evil in him that was simply the nature of his kind. And for as long as he walked the earth, that wouldn’t-couldn’t change. All he could do was choose to rise above it. And continue, each and every day. For the sake of his family, for the sake of himself.

Cisco Ramon, however, breathed humor and intelligence and light. He was the physical embodiment of the definition of joy. And despite all that, he was suffocating in pain. Not his physical pain, though that probably wasn’t helping. But the pain his soul was in. Harry could feel it, practically run his hands over it. Something had happened to the shorter man that had wounded him so deeply, so terribly, it had never healed. It was an open wound, bleeding with every breath the man took. And it made Harry want to reach in and seal it up and take all that horrific pain away. 

The million-dollar question was… _why_?

He didn’t know Ramon, not really. Research only told them the facts, not the intimate details. And Ramon sure as hell didn’t know anything pertinent about him. So why was Harry so pulled to him? Why did he feel the need to gravitate so readily into his atmosphere? 

He felt, more than heard, Caitlin step out onto the long, high balcony where he’d been standing, thinking. Her energy was very well known to him. And hers was one of the few humans whose energy wasn’t typical. Her steps were light, feet still bare as she stepped out. She’d pulled one of her long, old sweaters on against the chill night air, tugging it closed as she came up beside him.

“How’s Ramon?” He asked without looking at her, a soft breeze flitting her hair momentarily, wafting her scent in his direction. It reminded him of cinnamon sticks, the fresh ones that were slightly damp. It was pleasant. 

“Out like a light.” Her voice was as soft as her steps had been, but he could hear her just fine. “He fell asleep while I examined him. Poor guy is exhausted. He took quite the beating. But he’s going to be okay.” 

Harry trusted Caitlin Snow implicitly. Not only did she know what he was, but she’d chosen to get to know him for who he was. She was barely fourteen when Harry met her. A healer from a long line of healers in her family. And healer wasn’t just a term, either. She could manipulate the energy inside of people, to make healing faster, more efficient. She could even help the body cure its own illnesses. And, though she’d never done it, she was more than capable of bringing someone back from the newly dead… if she dove that far into her own abilities. 

In a much older world, she’d have been called a witch or sorceress, depending on how far back someone went. Every woman in her bloodline, going back centuries, carried this particular gift. And she would have learned how to control it as soon as she could walk and talk, if she’d had that family to fall back on. But Caitlin’s parents both died when she was only seven. Her grandparents had died before she was born. She’d ended up in the foster care system. And though she’d had mostly good families to take care of her, she spent most of her time alone, simply because she didn’t think anyone would understand her. She didn’t trust anyone to do so.

Then, one rather stormy winter night on the edges of the city, Harry had come across a hit and run. A homeless woman had been struck by a car and left for dead in the snow. Caitlin, who spent most of her time adventuring around the city, had found her first. The woman should have died. Her injuries were quite severe. But from across the street, slightly hidden in shadows, Harry watched as Caitlin simply pulled the woman’s head into her lap… and forced her body to repair itself. Maybe not entirely, she hadn’t been strong enough for that then. But she’d been just strong enough to keep the woman from stepping through death’s door.

Harry did his research. Found out who she was, which foster home, and as much of her story as possible. Three weeks later, she became a ward of his fledgling but already successful company. And he did everything he could to help her learn, to grow, to be whatever it is she wanted to be. She was eighteen years old when she finally asked him why. And the answer was simple… she deserved a chance. 

The world would never accept or understand people who were as different as Harry was, as different as Caitlin was. They’d learned to fit in, to blend, to be as normal as society wanted. At least on the outside. But here, in the walls of the labs and this penthouse, they could be honest. They didn’t have to hide. Caitlin didn’t. This place was a sanctuary, in a way. Which was probably why she, and others, had never left it. 

“Did you work your mojo?” Harry glanced at her, barely turning his head to do so. She looked at ease as she glanced back. 

“Did you want me to?”

He didn’t answer. He’d never really told Caitlin what to do, mostly because he’d learned early on that she was terribly stubborn at the best of times. She looked away, then, smirking lightly.

“Yes, though not too much. I don’t want to make him suspicious.”

Ah, yes. That. Always hiding their secrets, weren’t they.

“Though,” she continued, turning her body sideways and leaning her hip against the tall railing of the balcony, “I’m not so sure it would be a bad thing if he found out.” That certainly made Harry look at her, raising both brows lightly. “You felt it, I know you did.” He tightened his jaw, looking away and lifting his hands up to grip the railing, staring out into the darkness, which was never really dark to him. His unique eyes could pick out every shape, every line in the night. He felt Caitlin’s hand on his arm, making him relax just a little.

“What is he?” He asked quietly, refusing to make eye contact. Because yes… he’d sure as shit felt it. And no, he didn’t want to talk about the effect it had on him. 

“A seer, not that he knows it.” She said, getting closer to Harry, tucking in slightly against his side, to shield against the breeze. It was probably chilly out here for her, this high up and at night, no less. Harry had stopped being able to feel the cold ages ago. “And something more.”

“Something more? That’s vague.” He rumbled. Seers were rare as it was. Most people would call them ‘psychics.’ But most psychics were charlatans. Slight of hand and cold reading were their skill sets, not actual ability. If Ramon was really a Seer, he could actually look into the future, the past, even see things in the direct present. If he really wanted. “How does a Seer not know they’re a Seer?” It was a good question, really. They were always born with the gift, as far as he knew. But he also knew… he didn’t know everything. “And you really need to elaborate on the ‘something more’ bit.” He groused, turning and taking her arm, resting his other hand on her upper back as he lead her back inside.

“Well,” she let him guide her, moving away from him when he let her go to close the door, “I can’t really answer how. Just that he really doesn’t know.” She kept walking, Harry catching up with her shorter steps easily enough. “As for the something else?” She cracked a little knowing smile. And said nothing. Bloody hell. He nudged her as they headed for the hallway.

“I hate when you do that.”

“You love the mystery and you know it.” She quipped, turning and stopping at the entrance to the hall. He stopped as well, facing her and slipping his fingers into his pockets. “He’s something else… to you.” She finally said. Slowly, he furrowed his brows.

“To me.” Dubiousness literally seeped out of his tone. “What the hell is that supposed to mean?” She shook her head a little at his frustration. 

“It means… I think you were supposed to meet. Because that something else? It’s you. Your energy.” He just blinked at her. Hard. “Harry, I know how this is gonna sound… but,” she wasn’t looking at his face anymore. She was looking at his chest. More specifically, his sternum, where the center of his energy source sat. “His energy is in you, too.”

“That’s not possible.” He nearly whispered, pulling his hands out of his pockets, eyes darting toward the room that Ramon now occupied. “Snow, that can’t… that’s not...” He suddenly felt something he hadn’t felt in… God, far too long. _Fear._ Honest fear. He felt her hands on him, gripping both his upper arms. “I’m not human.” He didn’t need to tell her that. She knew that damn well. He met her now softly worried gaze. “That only happens to humans.” He was certain of it. Knew it like he knew he needed blood to survive. So why didn’t the words feel as true as he thought they were?

“I don’t know how this is happening. But it is. I wouldn’t lie about this. Something made it possible. And now, you two are…” she didn’t say it out loud, and he was really fucking glad. Mostly because he wasn’t sure he could hear it right then. He stepped out of her hold, unable to look at her anymore, turning his back and running both hands roughly through his hair before clasping his fingers behind his head.

“I… I have to go. I need to think.” He didn’t wait to hear her protest. To her, it would look like a blink and he was gone. But to him, it felt like it took forever to get out of that building, out on the streets, into the shadows he knew so damn well. 

He just kept going, letting the city’s smells fill up his senses, let the night swallow him whole, let his anxieties and energies stretch out and away from him when he was sure no one was near to feel. Because this couldn’t be happening. This _didn’t_ happen, not to things like him. Never to things like him. Right? Or that’s what he tried to convince himself of as he finally stopped at the end of a pier near a large, dark warehouse at the waterfront. Tried, being the operative word… because in the back of his mind, he felt a pull. 

A tug. 

An urge… to turn around, go back, and fall once more into Cisco Ramon’s very intoxicating atmosphere…


	4. "I told you to feed."

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Cisco gets thrown into his first day at S.T.A.R. Labs, and ends up experiencing a waking nightmare. Something big is happening, and he's not sure he's ready for all the answers he doesn't have...

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Weeeeeee! So, here we go! Hope you enjoy! -QD

-Christmas Morning, 2013-

_Cisco felt like he hadn’t slept in a hundred years._

_These stupid nightmares were going to be the death of him if he couldn’t get them under control. Not that he was entirely sure they were nightmares. More like flashes of moments that made no sense, sequences of events that he couldn’t quite string together. He’d had these dreams periodically throughout his life, often finding out (much to his confusion, and later acceptance) that in one way or another, they always came true. He never told anyone about them. Who would he even tell? His mother, who was far too religious for his liking? Or his brother, who thought Cisco was a few too many notches beneath him? No, thanks._

_Lately, though… it had been happening every night, a consistency he wasn’t used to. There wasn’t anything specifically bad about them (unless he couldn’t remember the bad by the time he woke up…), but he was always left with a feeling of foreboding. As though he was really missing the point. Like all these images and sounds were far more terrible than his sleep-addled brain could make sense of._

_It was cold out that morning, having snowed the night before. He was trudging his way through the three or so inches of snow, up the rather quiet street. Christmas lights were everywhere. It was nearly eight-thirty. He was already late, but honestly? He really hadn’t wanted to sit in a church with his brother and mother and listen to some guy with a collar tell him all the reasons he’d end up in hell. His mother would probably yell at him for it. It was an old argument between them. She loved her God. And Cisco wanted nothing to do with him if he happened to actually exist._

_They’d be back to the house by now, his mother probably counting the minutes to when Cisco finally ‘graced them’ with his presence. He could have taken a cab from his apartment to get there sooner, but he liked walking. It helped clear his head and gave him time to prepare to deal with his family. Any holidays with his mom, brother, and extended family never went completely well for him. After all, as far as his mother was concerned, he was second fiddle to everything Dante did. It made for awkward conversations, judging words from his aunts and uncles, and hiding in corners for the bulk of the day._

_Cisco never blamed his brother for his talent. Despite how little the two brothers had in common, it was his talent that was currently helping to keep a roof over their mother’s head. Their father had died twelve years earlier. And Cisco was too busy with building his career to worry about how much money he made. Someday, he’d make more than enough to take care of everyone. It was the ‘getting there’ that was slow. And his mother never understood his choices._

‘You could be doing so much more with your life, Francisco. You should go to church with us, Francisco. You need to find yourself a good woman, Francisco. You need to think more about the future, Francisco.’ _His mother’s words were a constant reminder that he would never quite measure up to her idea of success. He wanted to be an engineer. Wanted science to be his guide, and not God. He was gay, and he’d known it since he was a kid. And the future was all he thought about, despite what she believed._

_None of that, however, made him love his mother or brother any less. After all, they were really all he had. And it wasn’t all bad. Dante was the one who’d taught him to ride a bike, the one who’d had his back when the bullies at school had come after him, the one who picked up the phone at two a.m. when Cisco couldn’t sleep and just wanted to hear a friendly voice. His mother was the one who called to make sure he was eating properly, the one who dropped by on Sundays after church to watch game shows with him before her book club, the one who never passed up a chance to hug him. As he rounded the sidewalk to the gate that lead into the yard, he let those thoughts stick with him above everything else. Time to put on his happy face and play along. He could do that for them. One day wouldn’t kill hi-_

_He froze with his hand on the now wide-open gate to the front yard._

_Something was wrong. Off. Bad._

_It took his brain far too long to figure out what it was, a chill running through him as he realized the window in the front door was broken in, and the door itself was cracked open. If anyone knew his mother, they’d know damn well she would never let any part of her house look like that. Nor would she leave the door open in the cold._ ‘Boys, I’m not heating the outside. You are going to be the absolute death of me!’

_His hand slowly slipped from the gate, the metal whining lightly on its hinges as it swung slowly more open. The sound made something in his mind click. Images slammed into him._

_Breaking glass, screaming, loud bangs, furniture breaking, blood spraying, swearing, silence…_

_He gasped out loud when the images snapped away._ “Momma!” _He yelled out, sprinting up the salt-sprinkled walkway and bounding up the three steps, shoving the door the rest of the way open without pretense._

 _Two steps in and he froze, face crumbling as tears flowed almost instantly._ “Oh god, oh god!” _He blurted out, falling to his knees beside the couch. Because laying there on the floor were his mother and brother. Dante was half on top of the broken coffee table. His mother was slumped against the bookshelf with her eyes open. Dead eyes. And blood… blood painted her chest. Blood flowed from Dante’s forehead._ “NO!” _Cisco found himself yelling, fingers curling into his own hair._

_He’d seen this for days. Seen all of it. He just hadn’t realized it, hadn’t put the pieces together, hadn’t known the significance of it all. If he had, he could have stopped this! Warned them! SAVED them!_

_He was so stuck in his instantly intense grief and regret that he didn’t hear footsteps coming down the hallway. He didn’t hear the click of a gun as it was being aimed at him._ “Hey!” _A voice yelled, thick and male and angry. Cisco’s eyes darted up, hands falling just in time to see the man grit his teeth… and pull the trigger…_

_And everything was images again. Images of people he didn’t know, had never met. Images of a different life, one that he must be imagining, because it was one where he was genuinely happy, doing what he loved, with people who obviously loved him. The images were endless, one face prominent above all the others, except it was shadowed, hidden in fuzzy darkness. And despite that, he found himself inwardly clinging to that image, to that hidden face… because it was all he felt like he had left, just before unconsciousness swallowed him whole…_

* * *

Cisco sat up with a start and a short yell, Ampere jumping off the bed at his sudden awakening. Pain shot through his chest and he was instantly hugging himself, slightly bent over. But that wasn’t what had tears streaming down his face. It was the all too vivid memory of what he’d lost, and how he’d lost it. After the murder of his mother and brother, he’d been shot by whoever had killed them. The bullet skimmed over his temporal lobe, a piece of it lodging in his skull and giving him a slight fracture. He’d also had significant bruising on his brain, which was why he had been in a coma for nearly a month.

By the time he woke, both Dante and his mother were long buried. And he had not only their funeral bills but all his medical bills piled up. None of which he could afford, neither his mother nor brother having life insurance policies to help out. Not that he’d ever wanted to learn that.

The men, two of them, who’d killed them and tried to kill Cisco had been on a robbery spree. They had, for the most part, targeted houses with no one home. But when they saw Dante’s new and rather expensive piano being delivered, they decided it was worth the risk. They were surprised by Dante and their mother coming home from church. The rest was… a bloody mess. The police never found them, with no fingerprints and no witnesses. They’d just fallen off the map. And Cisco woke up to it all feeling like he should have died right along with Dante and their mother.

Once he was back on his feet, he’d had to quit his engineering internship and pick up two other jobs. But between paying off medical bills and just surviving day to day, his mother’s house went into foreclosure. He couldn’t even afford his own, moderately nice place anymore. And he found a shitty, but cheap apartment in probably one of the very worst neighborhoods in Central City, forcing himself to be content with his new lot in life. In a year’s time, he’d lost everything… and everyone.

All because he couldn’t decipher his own damn nightmares. 

He never forgave himself, refusing to get too close to anyone or to let anyone get close to him. Because what if this sort of thing happened again? What if he could stop it, but didn’t simply because he was too stupid to see the signs? It was a burden he didn’t want. 

And it was nights like this that it was more evident than ever how much that regret and hate for himself often tried to eat him alive. Or it normally would have.

Except now there was something pushing that regret and hate away. Hands… there were hands on him, firm and cool and familiar in a way that both startled him and made him reach out. It came back to him quickly where he was, and the fact that he was yet again crying in his new boss’s arms was not lost on him. But he couldn’t stop the shaking, or the painful squeezing in his chest. He didn’t dare open his eyes, even when he realized who was there, mostly because he didn’t want to see what was on Harry’s face. The guy must have thought he was weak as shit, a total wuss, a complete- 

“Ramon, breathe… breathe.” Harry’s calming, hushed tone met his ears. Harry was right, he was nearly hyperventilating. Instead of sobbing, like would have been normal, he was damn near having a panic attack. Harry held him closer, shifting him till Ramon’s whole torso was up against his. Cisco tucked his face right into Harry’s shoulder and inhaled deeply. 

The effect was instant and welcome.

Harry smelled like the cool night air and a fresh rain. And there was that energy again. It bloomed, flowed all around him and in him as it had once before. And this time Cisco didn’t question it, didn’t think hard on it. He just let it swallow him whole, practically begging it to replace his hurt. Because right then, anything was better than his own personal brand of pain.

Moments ticked by and Cisco didn’t count them. He just focused on the feel of Harry, of the long fingers stroking through his sleep tousled hair, and the fact that -for once- he wasn’t alone. Damn… he wasn’t alone. That fact should have broken him more than anything at the moment. But it didn’t. Because of who was there. He was sure of it. For reasons he couldn’t fathom, being around Harry was easy. Very, very easy.

“What time is it?” Cisco asked, after he was fairly sure he didn’t have any more tears to give and his body was just so sore that if he didn’t stop crying, he’d probably regret it. He was nearly completely limp against the taller man, Harry sitting sidelong on the bed with one leg hanging off and the other bent, the strength in his arms never wavering. Ramon had his head settled sideways on Harry’s shoulder, staring at the long, closed dark gray curtains that somehow completely blocked out the tall, wide window.

The room they were in was… well, nicer than anything he’d ever stayed in. The wooden floor was clean, mostly covered in an extremely soft, almost velvet looking gray rug. The queen-sized bed itself was the sort of thing someone could just sink into and sleep forever in, awash in light grays and blues. The modern gray lamps to either side of the bed added a gentle glow, set on black nightstands. The sleek black dresser against the opposite wall was only half-filled with what little clothes Ramon had. 

Off to the side, the connected bathroom was all whites and marble. Clean, crisp, like something out of a Better Home's and Garden magazine. It smelled like fresh linen and coconut oil. With a deep tub near the darkened windows, a double sink, and an encased glass shower stall with four heads. It was luxurious. Like he’d won the lottery and was staying in a fancy hotel. Though, the fact that all his stuff barely took up any space was honestly pitiful.

“About four-thirty.” Harry’s unreadable tone met his ears. Cisco withered inwardly, just a little. That was either really late, or really early, depending on the person. Either way, he couldn’t help feeling rather sheepish at the idea that Harry had been woken by his nightmare. A nightmare that now seemed far away. He sat up, straightening out with a short breath. His ribs ached. Everything did, but not nearly as much as before he’d fallen asleep. That was interesting. Shouldn’t they hurt worse before they felt better? He ran his hands through his hair, then down his face, wiping wetness off his skin. 

He felt Harry’s hands move away from him, but he stayed where he was sitting on the bed. “I’m sorry for coming in without permission. But you were yelling, and I…” Harry shook his head, Cisco’s hands dropping to his own lap. Harry was wearing fresh clothing, but not the sort a person slept in. He was in an actual business suit, sans jacket and tie. The black pants and steel-gray shirt (which conveniently had the first two buttons undone) were perfect for him. And fit perfectly, too. It made Cisco’s mind malfunction for a moment, because seeing Harry dressed up on a magazine cover was one thing. But seeing him like that in person? “I wanted to make sure you were alright.”

Cisco blinked, forcing himself to focus, his eyes moving up to Harry’s face and the bright blue eyes that were zoned in on him. “You’re apologizing for caring?” He spoke up, unable to help smiling at the rather adorable look that passed over Harry’s face, one that turned into a downward turn of Harry’s lips as he shook his head. But there was humor in his eyes. “I’m glad you’re here. I’d say I was sorry for waking you, but…” he motioned to Harry’s outfit. “Dude, do you even sleep?” He asked pointedly, dropping his hand back to his lap. Harry smirked, looking away and standing, turning to look down at Cisco, his hands slipping into his pockets.

“I have a meeting at five-thirty.” He made it sound normal. Who had meetings that fricken early? 

“You’re kidding, right? Do people who work for you not sleep? Because that’s not going to work for me. I need sleep, Harry. And coffee. Lots of coffee. The kind that has jet fuel in it and makes you taste sound.” Cisco loved the look of humor on Harry’s face. It lit up his eyes, made the subtlest of curls at the edges of his mouth, made his laugh lines crease ever so lightly. 

“We have coffee, we’re not heathens.” Harry remarked dully, and Cisco laughed for the first time in days. The sound of it made Harry raise both brows, his expression softening considerably. Then he looked away, glancing around the room quietly. He watched Ampere hop back up onto the bed, moving his little feline-self right into Ramon’s side and purring obsessively before laying down and stretching his front legs out. “Why don’t you join me.” Harry offered up, and Cisco’s hand froze in its run through of Ampere’s hair. 

“What?” He asked. “Now?!” He glanced at his door, which was still open. It was surprising Ampere hadn’t wandered off. Not that Cisco was thinking about that. Harry pulled his hands out of his pockets and began unbuttoning one sleeve, rolling it up easily to just below his elbow.

“Yes, Ramon. Now. You’re awake, and you’ve yet to see what you’ll be doing here. So,” He shrugged, working on the next sleeve, “Let’s go.”

“I-I… I’m not sure, I mean, I…” How many times could one person say ‘I’?

“You’ll be fine, you have no choice in the matter.” Harry gave him one last, long look and moved for the doorway. “Get dressed.”

“That’s some seriously ominous positivity, Harry.” He grumbled, feeling like he was about to be thrown headfirst into the deep end of the pool. Harry didn’t look back, just left the room and closed the door behind him. 

Ampere’s purring filled Cisco’s ears instantly. He could feel the cat vibrating against his side. And suddenly, he felt… there was a term for this feeling, he knew there was. He just couldn’t think of it. Because he was still staring at the door, the image of Harry’s strong forearms, his smile, his eyes… it was burned into his brain, along with the tone of the taller man’s voice. And there was this lingering cool sensation where Harry had come into physical contact with him. It seemed Harry always ran a little cool to the touch. Not freezing, but cool enough to be noticeable. Cisco liked it. It was such a contrast to his own warmth that it was oddly comforting. And now that he couldn’t feel it anymore, he realized he was actually missing it. 

One thing was certain, if he woke up to every nightmare to the arms of Harrison Wells, he’d be living in a far more tolerable hell. Definitely something closer to heaven. “Yikes.” He said to his reflection in the bathroom mirror. He really needed to invest in some cold showers, like, a lot of them, if he was going to survive working with Harry. 

After brushing his teeth and hair, and washing his face, he’d changed into clean jeans, a green t-shirt, and a short-sleeved button-up black and blue plaid shirt over that. (He really had nothing nice to wear.) Dressing had been slow going, his limbs stiff and protesting. His bruises were seriously bright and tender now. But still, he oddly didn’t hurt as much as he thought he should have. A confusing plus. 

As he put on his shoes, he briefly wondered if he should make the bed. But the sight of Ampere all stretched out, belly in the air, using up as much space on the rumpled blankets as possible, made him think otherwise. “Whataya think?” He asked the cat, who was watching him upside down. Ampere didn’t move an inch, just blinked and kept purring. “Yeah. I suck.” 

He inhaled deeply, letting it out slowly, his ribs only twinging a little at the action. “Here goes… everything.” He whispered, then made his way out of the room that he wasn’t sure he would ever find himself comfortable in, hoping Harry had meant what he said about the coffee…

* * *

S.T.A.R. Labs was a dream. Everything Cisco had ever imagined the hallowed halls of science would be, and then some. 

He followed Harry around eagerly, like a kid in the world’s largest toy store. (More than once, Harry had to remind him to put down the insanely expensive pieces of equipment he kept picking up and playing with.) He was so buzzed off excitement and eagerness that he completely forgot how achy and tired he was. Until they walked up to the meeting room encased in glass walls. Harry stopped him by the closed door. “Just sit and relax. Coffee’s in the corner.” Then he opened the door and ushered Cisco in without giving him a chance to protest that he did not, in fact, want to go into the very clean room with the nine people in business suits around a large rectangular table.

Cisco bee-lined for the coffee carafe, because _javajavajava, baby._ But also because it was better than looking at all the confused faces of the well-dressed people in the room. Harry went straight for the head of the table but didn’t sit. He dropped the pile of folders he’d grabbed before they’d come there, shoving them somewhat toward the middle of the table. The sound of them being divvied out occupied his mind as Cisco turned around with mug in hand… and realized there was only one other free seat left. At the other end of the table, putting people to his left and right and Harry directly across. Fudge.

As quietly as possible, he sat, choosing to hold the mug in both hands to keep himself from fidgeting. “Good morning.” Harry said easily, slipping his hands into his pockets. He had his suit jacket on now, and it fanned out a little as his hands disappeared. 

A quiet mumbling of, “Good morning.” And “Morning, Doctor Wells.” Filled the room. 

“Morgan, Freemason, Wedge and Terry? You all can leave.” Harry’s firm but calm tone made everyone tense up. “It wasn’t a request. Report back to your labs, Jesse will be in touch.” And Harry just stood there. Very quietly. Someone cleared their throat, and then three men and one woman stood up, grabbing papers, notebooks, cups, and leaving the gray folders behind. When they were all gone, it left three men to one side, and two women to the other side, all sitting nearly frozen, except for the occasional glance at Ramon or Harry.

Harry looked at them all, one at a time. “The particle accelerator is, to date, the most important project at S.T.A.R. Labs. It will change our understanding of physics, it will bring about changes in medicine, power.” Harry turned easily, pacing toward a shelf unit that had paper for notes, a cup of pens, a few other odds and ends. He grabbed a small gray remote off the top that controlled the large screen tv on the wall. “It’s not just a clean energy renewing device we’re striving for, here. It’s the future. Make no mistake,” he looked straight at Cisco then, his stare so earnest and clear that Cisco felt his hands relax around his mug. “I want nothing less than success. Which is why I let those four go back to where they came from.” He pulled his eyes away.

“But sir, they were working on-“ the short-haired, blond in the deep blue suit said to his right, and Harry cut her off with a shake of his head and a curt wave of the remote in his hand.

“I know what they were working on, Smythe. I was the one who assigned them.” He sounded slightly annoyed but clicked a button on the remote. The tv turned on instantly, showing the incomplete calculations that Cisco had first seen on the accelerator blueprints when he’d first met Harry. “They failed.”

“Doctor Wells, if they failed, as you say, then how are we supposed to move forward?” A bald, fit, tall looking man asked. He had piercings in both ears, a white button-up shirt with a very neat black tie, and tattoos that spiraled up his neck to either side. Harry turned and looked right at Cisco.

“They may have failed, but he didn’t.” There was something Cisco swore was pride in Harry’s tone, and then suddenly everyone’s eyes were on him and his mouth went dry. “This is Cisco Ramon.” Harry continued, then clicked a button on the remote, his math proof coming up on the screen, “And he’s in charge of your team now.”

If a pin had dropped on the carpet, Cisco was pretty sure everyone would have heard it. Because _daaaaamn_ did it get quiet as everyone looked over his math proof. Harry moved toward his chair, dropping the remote on the tabletop with a clatter before pulling his chair out. “Wait. Harry, you never said anything about-“ Cisco attempted to ask where this sudden decision had come from. In charge? _Him?!_ But Harry cut him off.

“I’m saying it now.” Harry sat without pretense.

“You didn’t even ask m-“

“I don’t need to ask you, Ramon.”

“ _Stop_ interrupting me!” Cisco blurted out, then froze. Shit, everyone froze. Except for Harry. Harry stared at him as though this train wreck of a moment was the most incredible thing Harry had ever witnessed. “I mean…” Cisco cleared his throat, relaxing back in his chair stiffly with both hands flat on the tabletop, meeting Harry’s intent eyes and trying to make sense of the craziness. But he couldn’t keep talking. Because he should just keep his damn mouth shut. No one, ever, had taken a chance on him like this. And it wasn’t just that. It was all of this. Everything that had happened the last few days. When was he going to start accepting that he had no control anymore? And it may actually be a good thing?

“By all means, Ramon.” Harry sat back, folding his hands into his lap. “Continue.”

“I can’t.” He frowned lightly, watching Harry raise a brow. “My train of thought derailed, there were no survivors.”

“Oh, I like you.” The tiny redhead woman said, grinning at him, then turning in her chair to look at Harry. “I like him.”

“So I heard.” Harry said, tone dull like Cisco’d heard once before. But it didn’t match the glint in his eyes. Cisco found himself relaxing a little more. 

The next four hours went by a lot like that. He got to know his new team, all of whom were incredibly intelligent people in different areas of engineering. All of whom made him feel like he was a complete fake. Well, until Harry had him explain his math proof and how it fit with what they wanted to accomplish. It was so easy, like breathing. It was seamless, and by the time Caitlin and Barry joined them, he was more than convinced he could get all the missing variables filled in before the end of the week. The redhead, Anna Bingham, was sweet, had a great sense of humor and was completely book smart. She seemed to warm up to him the most, uncaring what he looked like, and endlessly amused by how he talked to Harry.

The blond woman, Donna Smythe, didn’t seem to like him as much. She was seriously put together. Practically the definition of OCD. Her pencils (no pens) sat in a straight line with her perfectly straightened papers. And she kept reaching over and pulling his coffee mug away from the edge of the table… and away from his hand. About the fourth time she tried it, when they were all getting up for a break, Cisco nearly had an aneurism. He grabbed it quickly, practically white-knuckling it away from her reach. “Let’s be super clear, Donna. The only acceptable reason for you to touch my cup of coffee is to refill it. Don’t be a hero.” He could almost hear the air sizzle when she glared at him.

“You don’t belong here.” She stood up quickly. “You may be smart, but this place? And this project?” She began to put her stuff into a neat pile to carry. “You’re going to slow us all down. Whatever it is Wells sees in-“ she froze halfway in turning around. Because standing right behind her was Harry. Cisco swore he never even heard the man move. He really needed a bell or something. 

“At the moment, Ms. Smythe, I’m seeing very little in you.” Harry said, stepping closer to her. Her pasty skin got even whiter. And Cisco swore he felt a chill in his own spine, because _holy shit_. Harry’s expression was a calm, eased thing. But his tone? His eyes? Cisco had been right to think Harry had a temper. Because there it was, like a set of bright ass LED lights, focused in on Donna. “S.T.A.R. Labs belongs to anyone who can do the work, to anyone who has a passion for success and developing our understanding of science.” 

He reached over and put a hand on Cisco’s shoulder. He could feel Harry’s cool skin through the cloth of his shirts, and it made him want to reach up and grab those long fingers, hold them in his own. But he forced himself to be a good boy, watching what played out beside him. “Cisco Ramon has a greater understanding of the math involved in this project than you or anyone else has garnered in four months. _Four. Months._ ” He pronounced those two words with a touch of spite, dropping his hand only to motion at Donna. “If you want to keep your job, I suggest you get with the program. Ramon’s in charge, now. If you don’t like it?” Harry slipped his hand into his pocket, “You know where your previously assigned lab is.”

Donna swallowed, having seemed to shrink steadily into herself, nodded hastily. “I’m sorry, Doctor Wells.”

“What are you apologizing to me for?” Harry demanded. Donna blinked, looking over at Ramon.

“I’m sorry, Mr. Ramon.” She didn’t even wait for Cisco to respond, she just sped out of there like Harry’s LED stare was made of fire. That was about the moment Cisco realized that the room was empty, everyone had cleared out for their break, leaving Cisco alone with Harry. 

“You didn’t have to do that. I can fight my own battles.” He found himself asserting, moving to stand up. He felt his joints crack, apparently much stiffer than he’d realized. He hadn’t stood up in a while, which was probably a bad idea. His ribs began to throb again and he grimaced a little, rubbing his chest softly. Harry’s whole expression softened, one hand pulling out of his pocket and smoothing over Cisco’s upper arm. “The fact that my body cracks like a glowstick every time I move yet actually refuses to glow is very disappointing.” Harry’s smile was instantly gratifying.

“I know you can fight for yourself, Ramon.” Harry let his hand fall, gliding half down his arm before falling away. “But this place?” He motioned around them, stepping past Cisco toward the coffee carafe, grabbing his cup up as he went. Cisco would have protested, but if he was being honest, his coffee was cold by now. “It’s built off the idea that people can better themselves, better the world. That no matter where anyone comes from,” he set the cup aside and poured a fresh one, reaching for the sugar, “They matter. They can contribute.” He poured creamer in and began stirring with a disposable red straw, turning with the cup in hand and holding it out to Cisco.

“How do you know I’m even gonna like this?” Cisco grabbed the warm mug, the aroma wafting up to his nostrils. Harry gave his signature classic unreadable expression. Cisco shrugged. Coffee was coffee, right? He raised the mug to his lips, daring a sip and… his brows raised up. “This is… exactly… the way I like it. How’d you do that?!” He exclaimed, taking a much bigger sip afterward. Harry chuckled, humor instantly lightening his features.

“I pay attention.” Harry watched him take another long sip. Cisco shook his head, chuckling. 

“Man, you’re unreal. And…” He set his coffee on the table behind him, keeping eye contact. “I don’t think I deserve any of this.” He waved around his head. “All your help, this opportunity?” He sighed lightly. “I didn’t do anything worthy of it.”

“You’re wrong about that. I meant what I said. You can and will contribute. In fact,” He moved past Cisco, a cool, clean smell breezing after him, “You already have.” And just like that, Cisco was alone as Harry left the room. 

And yet, somehow, he didn’t feel alone. That’s what that was… that emotion he couldn’t place earlier. It was a feeling of heaviness, but not the kind that was bothersome. Because it was the kind that said he had found people he belonged with, and he’d found something he’d been missing. 

Something important, needed, wanted, dreamed about.

An actual chance at something he hadn’t thought was possible for him anymore.

A chance to heal…

* * *

“That’s it. You are now employed.” Jesse’s cheery tone made Cisco grin like a dork as he put his employee lanyard over his head, letting it hang down his chest. His name badge with his picture and I.D. number felt like it weighed nothing as he smoothed his hand over it, settling it. “This is your employee packet, handbook, and your copy of the contract.” She set a binder in front of him, “All you have to do now is put your hand on the scanner so we can get your prints for secure area access.” She held out a device toward him, a screen glowing a soft green waiting for him to flatten his palm to it, which he did quickly. He was a bit eager, he could admit.

It had been a long day of introductions, meeting with his new team (which he was still wrapping his head around), touring his lab (and that, too), touring the building (three times, cause it was huge and he really didn’t feel like getting lost), having Caitlin look him over again (he swore that woman’s touch made him feel better instantly), and finding time to eat in between all of that. He was pooped. He was sore. Not tired, though. Not in the sense that he had to go to sleep right that minute. Honestly, he wasn’t sure he’d be able to sleep at all now. He was just so damn excited.

He watched as Jesse tapped on her keyboard, moving her mouse as his handprint scanned. Then she hit enter with a smile. “Done, except for one thing.” She raised a brow at him, squinting suspiciously. “You don’t have a secret criminal past we should be aware of, do you?” Cisco leaned forward, speaking in a hushed tone.

“Why? Is it required?”

She laughed easily at that, shaking her head. “Welcome, officially, to S.T.A.R. Labs.” Just hearing her say it made him laugh happily.

“What a year these last few days have been.” He grinned, and she stood. He followed suit easily, standing face to face with her.

“I know it’s been a lot. But we’re glad you’re here.”

“About that… everyone here has been fantastic. And welcoming. But is Harry always this…” he paused, trying to find the right explanation, brows furrowing lightly in concentration.

“Prickly?” She offered up. They both chuckled.

“That, too.” He shook his head. “I was going to say more like… um…” he felt heat rise to his cheeks and shoved his hands deep into his pockets to keep himself composed, “Great?” Something crossed the young woman’s features, her eyes filling with a knowing nature.

“Not many people would say that about my Dad. Especially after only a few days. He’s kind of an acquired taste. I mean, everyone respects him. Everyone here looks up to him. And he’s really good to his people. But as a person?” She shrugged, as though none of this was a problem to her, “People tend to keep their distance. They don’t really see everything there is to see. Probably because he’s good at hiding the fact that he’s pretty wonderful.”

“That’s a little hard to believe.” Cisco said honestly. “I mean, he’s been nothing but kind to me since we met. Everything he’s done? At first I thought it was because he’s got this boss-complex thing going on. That he always needs to be in charge and telling people what to do, ya now? Super pushy and a wicked control-freak. But now…” he thought back to the day he’d experienced, eyes drifting away with his thoughts. Most of the day had been spent in Harry’s presence. It had been so damn effortless… talking with him, bickering with him, even. And not once had Cisco ever felt uncomfortable or out of place when Harry was near. It felt as though he belonged beside him, working with him, enjoying his-

“You like him.” Jesse said, her tone drawing his attention straight back to her. She looked… far too happy. “You _really_ like him.”

“What?! No! Pft.” He sputtered out. She just kept grinning. “I like him… like… a friend, and a boss.” Her smile never wavered. “I mean he’s… I’m just… he’s… I hardly know him!” He finally blurted out, his hands coming up out of his pockets. Jesse laughed, reaching forward and holding his shoulder warmly. 

“And he hardly knows you. That doesn’t mean you can’t like each other.” She let her hand fall, her head tilting a little. “Cisco, it’s okay.”

“Wait, are you saying… that he…?”

“You really think my Dad reacts this way to just anyone? You’re special, Cisco. He sees something in you, and I’m not sure it’s just your… unique brain.” She seemed to be recalling something that made her smile brighter.

“But he’s not gay.” The words sounded dumb the moment they left his mouth. So much for a unique brain. It’s not that he minded telling anyone he was gay. But he shouldn’t go around guessing other people’s preferences. Jesse chuckled.

“No. But he is pan. Gender doesn’t interest him. The person does.”

Well paint him with gravy and throw him to the wolves. Or don’t, that worked, too. He was pretty sure he looked stunned because he could almost feel his face tighten as his thoughts died in his mouth. 

“What about your mom?” He finally got out, but it was more of a whisper than anything. Jesse turned a little, curling her hand into his arm as she urged them into walking. Cisco made sure to swipe his binder off her desk. 

“I’m adopted.” She said, “Dad found me as a baby after my biological parents died.”

“I’m sorry about your parents.” He tried to sound gentle, because seriously… that sucked. He knew just how much.

“It’s okay. I don’t remember them, I was only a few months old. I have pictures Dad found. But,” She walked close to him, still holding his arm amicably as they headed down a long, clean hallway, “I guess it doesn’t bother me. Dad’s given me a very good life. He loves me. And he shows me that all the time. I’m grateful it’s him I ended up with, and not anyone else.”

“That’s a really healthy outlook. In fact, everyone here seems to be well-rounded and not… well, looney-tunes. Not like me.” Except for Donna. That woman really needed to take a chill pill. Though he didn't say that out loud.

“You’re not crazy.” She said, giving him a sincere glance. He smiled.

“Yeah, I think my therapist might debate that.” He wasn’t sure why he was being so honest with her, but she made it easy. Just like her Dad. “Okay, maybe I’m not crazy. But…” he tapped his head, right where the white scar sat near his temple and slipped into his hairline, “Not completely normal, either.”

“Abnormal is good. Especially here.” She offered up, pulling him to a stop. “Cisco, I can’t even pretend to know what you’ve been through. I’ve had a lucky life. Maybe a little sheltered. But I do know… you belong here. We all think you do. If you give it time and a real chance?” She dropped her hand just to squeeze his palm, “You’ll see we’re right.”

“I…” He paused clearing his throat, “Thank you. For that. For… everything.” He was doing a lot of thanking lately. Or maybe not enough...

“You never have to thank any of us.” She leaned forward and kissed his cheek. “I have to go finish submitting payroll. I’ll see you at dinner. Do you know how to get back from here?” Cisco smiled at the kiss, and then turned, looking around. He knew where he was. Absolutely… uh… he was near the… _dammit_. Jesse nudged him. “Go to the elevator around the corner, right there?” She pointed to the other end of the hall, where it split off in two directions. “Then take it to the fourteenth floor. Go past the labs, through the double doors. You’ll see the elevator for the penthouse. Your palm print should work now.”

“Right. Got it… I think.” He stared down the hall. “I’m good. Totally.” And with that, he wandered off without looking back at Jesse. He only managed to get lost twice before finally finding the elevator to the penthouse. And that was an absolute win in his book. In the quiet of the silver-washed box, he let himself relax for the first time all day. It was then the aches settled back into his body, the tell-tale twinge of his ribs not liking him, the throb of the bruise on his face, the sharp pull of the stitches on his arm reminding him that he was, in fact, still healing. Sure, he hadn’t done much but walk around most of the day. But as the elevator climbed, he was beginning to wonder if that was a bad thing. Maybe he shouldn’t have pushed himself so hard. Maybe he should have taken a few more br-

_Brightness, swirling, blue and dark and dizzying, flashes like light bouncing off a disco ball haphazardly, the feeling of weightlessness and being completely out of control of his surroundings. It all engulfed him, fear compounding instantly into full-blown panic as he fell into a nightmare. Panic because this was… this was… not happening! He knew what this was, knew the feel and taste and sound of it. It never happened while he was awake! But then the lights settled, and the images came into focus and it was like he wasn’t inside his own body anymore._

_He was watching Harry. The tall man was stumbling, like his feet simply couldn’t figure out how to keep him upright. He fell hard against a wall, sliding down, a streak of something dark and wet appearing where he’d been. And Cisco saw himself, running into view, falling to his knees beside Harry, grabbing him by the face._ ‘God, Harry!’ _He sounded heartbroken, even to his own ears. Harry reached up, curled his hair behind one ear, smiling tiredly. He said something, but it was like his voice was too quiet to carry._ ‘No, dammit, don’t you do that! You need to feed… right now.’ _He watched himself hold an arm out toward Harry, wrist up, fingers closed as Harry seemed to protest and try to push his arm away._ ‘You’re losing too much blood, man. Feed, you stubborn ass.’ 

_And then brightness once more, swirling, dizzying…_

…Until he was staring at the now open doorway of the elevator and a very confused looking Harry standing there, staring down at him in worry. Was he on the floor? Cisco let his hands fall from where he’d apparently been holding his own head, his digits shaking, as he blinked up at the tall man.

“Ramon?” Harry’s voice pulled his resolve right out from underneath him and he heaved a heavy breath, squeezing his eyes shut. That hadn’t happened, hadn’t, couldn’t have. “Are you alright?” He felt Harry’s hands, let the man hoist him to his feet. “Damn, Ramon. You’re shaking.”

A moment later, Harry had him sitting on the couch, a cup of water in his hands, a blanket around his shoulders like he was some sort of trauma victim. And maybe he was, honestly. He felt like he’d just been put through something no one should ever experience. But what was it, exactly? He’d never, not once had his nightmares while he was awake. It was not how this thing, whatever it was, worked. But that wasn’t what was bothering him. Funny, of all he got out of this sudden shitty turn events, the one thing that seemed to be bugging him the most was what he’d heard.

“Feed.” He said clearly, letting the word roll off his tongue and into open space far too easily. Harry froze where he was standing, he and Caitlin having stepped several feet away to talk in hushed tones. Cisco lifted his eyes from his cup of water and stared Harry down. “I told you to feed.” He set the glass down beside him on the end table, shrugging the blanket off and standing. “Why did I tell you that? What does that mean?”

Both Caitlin and Harry had the same exact expression on their faces: fear.

“Harry, we should tell him.” Caitlin said softly, touching Harry’s arm gently.

“It’s too soon, he’s not ready.” Harry said, but he wasn’t looking at her. He was looking at Cisco.

“ _He_ is standing right here.” He was angry, he couldn’t help it. He felt like there was so much he was missing, so much he needed to understand. There was a blaring red neon sign right there in front of his face and he just couldn’t get it in focus. And it was really fucking frustrating. “It’s too much. All this?” He spread his arms out tensely. “Meeting you, your affect on me, and now my… my _nightmare_ happening while I’m awake? What just happened to me? What aren’t you telling me, Harry? What the fuck is going on?!” He directed his mood straight at Harry, who didn’t flinch, didn’t react beyond his expression softening, despite the hardness in his eyes. Caitlin folded her hands in front of her, silencing herself. Cisco didn’t expect them to understand what he was saying, not really. But their reaction told him… _shit_ , they understood perfectly.

Then Harry was moving, his steps steady and imposing, and even though Cisco was riled up, he felt the sudden need to disappear. Harry’s voice, however, made his whole body stop itching with anger. “You’re going to want to sit, Ramon. There’s… a lot to explain.” He sounded so… defeated? Why? Cisco blinked at him, glancing at Caitlin as she too stepped forward. Then he slowly sat, letting his ass sink into the cushion beneath him, and never taking his eyes off Harry.

Whatever was about to happen, Cisco had a feeling it was going to be huge. Whether or not that was a good thing? 

He wasn’t entirely sure he was ready to know…


	5. "… are unicorns a thing?”

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Cisco gets a crash course in the nature of Harrison Wells.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> (Howdy, y'all! Sorry this took so long to get out. It's been a crazy weekend for me. But I'm back at writing, so please enjoy! -QD)

Harry could hear Cisco’s heartbeat. 

It was a healthy, steady presence in his senses, thudding along in tune with the anxiety that was flowing off the man in waves. Anxiety Harry could hardly blame him for. This was never easy, no matter who the person was. Finding out the world was nothing like one thought it was? Harry could sympathize. Better than most.

Now, however, he was keeping his distance. 

He’d let Caitlin do most of the talking. She had a much more relatable perspective. And she seemed to know already the right words to help Cisco come to terms with his new state of being. 

No, Ramon hadn’t ever realized that he was a Seer. He’d had glimpses of things all his life, but it never occurred to him he was actually having visions. Yes, he would say it was total horseshit if he hadn’t experienced all the things that he’d experienced. He thought that Caitlin being a Healer was ‘totally fantastic’ and ‘why does everyone else get the cool stuff?’ Caitlin used that excuse to further Ramon’s healing. The bruises were entirely gone now, his ribs (though they’d still ache for a while) were no longer broken. The cut in his arm was now just a fresh pink scar. 

The questions, of which Harry had been steeling himself for, came after.

“So…” Ramon was sitting with one knee bouncing, his hands gripping his own thighs with his back relaxed into the couch. He was looking at Harry, which he’d done a lot so far. Harry had taken to standing with his back against one of the tall, floor to ceiling windows, hands in his pockets. “Are there other things?”

“Other things?” Caitlin asked beside him. Cisco glanced at her.

“Yeah, ya know… like… guys who can move things with their minds or gals who can leap tall buildings or… unicorns… are unicorns a thing?” He raised both brows as he asked, his expression growing less concerned and more eager to know. Harry couldn’t help chuckling a little, drawing Cisco’s attention back.

“No, Ramon. Unicorns are not ‘a thing.’”

“How are unicorns fake but giraffes are real? Seriously, what’s more believable? A horse with a horn, or a leopard-moose-camel with a 40-foot neck?” His leg stopped bouncing and he smiled a little. The effect was instant, the anxiety in the air disappearing entirely. Caitlin giggled beside him. Harry shook his head.

“You’re impossible.” He stated simply, but Cisco was beaming at him. It brought gentleness to his features, softened his smooth lips. His heartbeat was leveling out. Damn… _this man_. He always seemed to surprise the shit out of Harry. In every good way.

“What about you? Because I know you’re not like everyone else.” Cisco remarked. The question made Harry’s dead heart sink straight into his stomach. _This_ … this was the part he personally hated. Because there were many gifted people in the world. People who could heal, see all aspects of a timeline, people who could (yes, Ramon) move things with the power of their mind. There were people who were completely in tune with nature, able to bend it to their will. There were people who could manipulate elements, creating and controlling them. And the list went on.

But there were also people who weren’t exactly people. Creatures. Monsters. Things like him. Things the rest of the world would never truly want to know about or even accept if they did. Because mankind, all aspects of it, had one terrible thing in common… they would always fear the dark, even when it wasn’t bad.

“Harry?” Cisco’s voice made him stiffen. And he watched as Caitlin reached out and gripped Ramon’s knee.

“I’m going to leave you two be.” She said softly, giving Harry a look of pity. It was smart of her to go. She knew he’d be more willing to do the talking if someone wasn’t there to do it for him. But dammit… he wanted her to stay. He didn’t tell her that, however. He watched her go, her gentle presence disappearing into the elevator. It wasn’t till the doors closed that he cleared his throat and looked back at Cisco, who was now staring at him harder than before, brows slightly furrowed.

“Shit, Harry. You’re worrying me a little. What are you, some sort of siren who oozes lustiness? Cause that would totally explain why I’m so inexplicably drawn to you all the time.” Ramon’s words made them both pause. Then Cisco blinked, and somehow Harry and he were laughing together comfortably. 

It felt… good. It eased the tension in his body. It made him feel, at least a little, slightly better about upending Cisco’s world like this. 

Harry made his way over to the couch and sat, slightly sideways so he could see Ramon completely. He left some distance between them but chose to focus on the presence of the man beside him, which he couldn’t deny made him feel more in control of the situation. Cisco watched him with… _fuck_ , that was trust. Harry fought the urge to find Caitlin and beg her to do this for him.

“I’m a vampire.” There. He said it. He could have elaborated, dragged the answer out. But why delay the inevitable? So… only three simple words. Words that seemed to make Cisco’s lips spread in a wide smile as he laughed again. But this time, Harry didn’t laugh along. He let himself smile, not quite able to help that. But when Cisco realized Harry’s words had been spoken truthfully, all the humor died from his features. 

“You’re… not kidding.” He spoke, voice a half-whispered, strangled thing. Harry shook his head, doing his best not to look away. “ _Holycheeseballs_ , you’re really not kidding. Vampires are real? You’re a vampire? You?! Wait, if you’re a vampire…” Cisco looked like a deer in headlights. His anxiety picked right back up, filling the air. 

“I’m not going to hurt you, Ramon.” Harry instantly threw out. “That’s the first thing you need to know. The most important thing. I will never hurt you.” He said steadily because it was important. There could be no misconception here. Cisco swallowed a little, looking Harry up and down like it was the first time he was seeing him.

“When I first met you… in your office? That stuff you drank was…”

“Blood.” Harry answered easily. Though he felt an itching up his spine, a sign of his own agitation, energy flickering at his unease.

“You…” Cisco cleared his throat, turning a little, facing Harry, “You don’t eat. I’ve never seen you eat.” He realized Ramon was trying to wrap his head around things, to put clues together. It was understandable. Everyone noticed things to an extent. Little things, mostly, that they could chalk up to Harry being odd or eccentric. And he let them think that because it was much easier than the alternative. He’d been alive long enough to know how to hide himself. To hide the more apparent things that spelled out what he was. But if someone was smart enough, observant enough… “And you don’t smile. Not… not fully.” Ramon furrowed his brows hard, and then just like that his hands were on Harry’s face. 

He had not expected that, _at all_. It startled him, probably more than he’d admit. Because so far, Harry had always been the one to reach for Cisco. Not once had the shorter man initiated touch. Ramon’s warm hands on his colder skin made him inhale sharply, but he froze himself in place. And slowly, Cisco used his thumbs to lift Harry’s upper lip, just enough to see what was there. 

“Holy shit.” He let Harry’s lip go, hiding the pointed canines from view again. But he didn’t take his hands away. And something in Harry was extremely grateful for that. “Your eyes… they’re always so bright.” Cisco was scooting closer. “But your pupils always look a little big. I thought… I thought it was because your irises are seriously blue…” So close, he'd see the depth of Harry’s pupils, how wide they were. Far wider than any normal human’s could possibly be. 

In a way, Cisco was talking like he was working out a problem. His analytical brain was doing the thinking for him. Or so Harry thought. But then Cisco slid his hands from Harry’s face, down to his neck, fingers pressing against his skin. It hardly felt analytical. “And you’re cold. I mean, tepid to the touch… cooler than anyone.” He shook his head. “This is really happening…” He said the last in a state of awe. It took Harry a moment to realize silence had stretched on between them, and the anxiety of the moment was entirely gone. Because Cisco was just holding his shoulders now, and Harry couldn’t tear his eyes away from him.

Cisco Ramon was just a damn beautiful man. 

Harry’d thought it the moment he first saw him in his office. And that notion had only grown the more time he spent with him. Everything about Cisco was real and honest and beautiful, down to the very depths of his damaged soul. His humor, his kindness, his very nature that was unlike any Harry had ever come across. His smile was brilliant and pure. His energy was intoxicating. The warmth of his body was singularly pleasing. His willingness to be near Harry was heartwarming. And physically, Cisco was… perfection. The thick, soft hair. The deep brown eyes that reminded Harry of falling into the calm of the night itself. The strong hands that he was sure Cisco had no idea lured Harry in. The natural tan of his skin, so clear and smelling of salt and sweeter things. All of him, even the parts Harry hadn’t seen (he was sure of it), was perfect.

Ramon blinked at him. “I don’t know what to do. What to… to say or to... what do I do?” He stumbled over his words as his hands fell from Harry, folding in his lap. But he didn’t move back. Harry tore his eyes away. 

“I’m sure you’re curious. About all of it.” That was probably an understatement.

“I am.” Cisco nodded lightly. “But do I just… flat out ask pointed questions? I mean… is it rude to just go, ‘Hey, how does being a vampire work?’” Harry relaxed back into the couch, letting the leathers sink beneath him as he sighed a little, staring at the window across from the room. 

“You can ask me anything. Whatever you want to know.” He had no reason not to answer Ramon’s questions. None at all. In fact, Harry wanted to get it over with. Because he was really confused, despite not showing it. Why wasn’t Ramon more… _upset_?

“Ya know… when I first met Barry? He said you didn’t eat people on the first day. I thought he was joking.” Ramon smirked. Harry glanced at him, frowning.

“Why do I keep forgetting to fire him?” He grumbled. Cisco chuckled. 

“He was joking, right… I mean, you don’t actually eat people, do you? How does drinking blood work? Can you eat real food or can you actually not do that? And how is a vampire made? Does the sun really… wait, no. I’ve seen you in the sun. How much stuff do movies and tv and all that actually get right? And sleeping… you haven’t slept, right? I haven’t seen you remotely sleepy once. How is that a thing?” Ramon was rambling, the questions coming out one at a time rather rapidly, like machine-gun fire. Harry put a hand out and gripped his knee gently.

“Slow down, Ramon. We’ve got all night.” He urged, brows raised. Cisco clamped his mouth shut, looking down at Harry’s hand. He’d forgotten about keeping his distance, so Cisco could process, and went to pull his hand away. But Cisco grabbed it, pulling it into his lap, holding it in both his much warmer hands. 

“Let’s…” Ramon swallowed, then let out a breath, “Start with the first question, work our way down.” Harry nodded numbly. _What is happening right now?_ Why wasn’t Cisco even a little afraid of him? Because he wasn’t… he really wasn’t. Harry couldn’t sense any fear.

“Um…” Harry looked away, trying not to focus on the delicious feel of Cisco’s warm palms. He went through the questions, his vault-like memory recalling them each in the order Cisco had said them. “I don’t drink from people. At least, not directly. I use a blood bank. Or, in an emergency, someone who is willing. I never take without asking, without permission.” He focused on the night outside, the darkened lines of skyscrapers beyond, and the various city lights in the distance. “I can’t eat any food. But I can drink most anything in small quantities, except for dairy.” He clenched his jaw momentarily before continuing, “To become a vampire, a person has to be bitten, drained near death, and fed the undead blood from the one that bit them. They die moments after and wake up the next night, not knowing anything except hunger. Think of it as… replacing the living, healthy cells with a sort of virus that attaches to the DNA of the victim, completely rewriting it.” At least the method he spoke of made sense. It was realistic. Take the blood from a body, replace it with that of the creature and the body then becomes a vessel for the new form. The new creature.

He felt one of Cisco’s thumbs begin to stroke over his knuckles, and he looked back at the shorter man. But Ramon was staring down at their combined hands, a look of concentration on his features. Harry continued, a touch quieter. “The sun doesn’t hurt vampires. Not like stories say. Our eyes have a hard time handling the light, the rays are… painful, so I tend to wear sunglasses, have tinted windows. Movies and the like get most things wrong. Like sleeping in coffins or not being able to function in the daytime. I only sleep every three to four days, and even that isn’t exactly sleeping. More like… a falling into death. The body becomes inanimate, and there’s no dreaming involved.”

“What kills a vampire?” The question was soft, the words harsh without Ramon meaning them to be. But Harry understood it. It was something everyone he’d revealed this to had asked at one point or another.

“Blood loss, mostly. We can heal nearly all injuries during rest, but if we lose too much of what sustains us, we won’t survive it. Garlic, crosses, stakes and all that are complete horseshit and fabricated from the overactive imaginations of people who have extraordinarily little idea how the human body works.” He sounded a little agitated by that, simply because almost all the stories about vampires were so full of crap that it made his head hurt. Seriously, sparkly vampires? Twilight was the bane of his existence. 

“Gee, Harry. Tell me what you really think.” Ramon was looking at him now. There was a gentleness in his eyes. A softness to him that made Harry want to reach out and touch. But he furrowed his brows slowly instead.

“Why are you so calm about all this?” Harry asked him. “Why aren’t you afraid? I can smell that you’re not.”

“You can smell fear?” Cisco smiled wide. “Dude, what other superpowers do you have?”

“They’re not…” he sighed deeply, letting the air out of his lungs in increments. “They’re not superpowers, Ramon.”

“Whatever ya call em. What else can you do?” Cisco seemed so eager that it made him narrow his gaze and drop his head back on the couch. None of this made any sense. The man should be, at the very least, agitated. But Cisco just… _wasn’t._

“I can see in the dark. I haven’t formally tested my strength, but I have stopped a moving bus. I can sense emotions, smell changes in the air to go with them. I can sense people’s energies. I can move… very fast.” He listed them off like he was looking over a grocery list. There was more, but Cisco scooted closer to him, making Harry turn his head to look at him.

“How fast is very fast?”

“Does it matter?”

“For the sake of science, absolutely.” Ramon nodded firmly. Harry stared at him for a moment. Then before Cisco could push further, he moved. It was easy for him, the very air around them separating as he grabbed Cisco and sped him out onto the balcony, the cool night and a rush of wind making Ramon gasp loudly as he found his footing, his hands gripping Harry’s upper arms as his eyes went wide and he looked around them, practically gaping. “That’s… that’s very fast.” Harry reached up when Cisco looked back at him, the shorter man freezing in place, eyes still wide.

“You haven’t answered my question, Ramon.” He slipped his hand onto Cisco’s cheek, touching the warmth there, sliding his fingers into the thick, dark hair beyond, brushing his thumb over Cisco’s scar. “Why aren’t you afraid of me?” For a moment, it seemed Cisco wouldn’t answer. Like he was stuck in place and focusing only on the feel of Harry’s hand on him. Like this, in the grip of something obviously inhuman, most people would separate themselves, try to put distance between them. But Cisco stepped closer. 

“Because I’m not. I know I should be. I know it doesn’t make sense. Honestly, I’m not even sure that this isn’t all one big hallucination.” He cracked a little smile. “But even if it is, Harry… you’ve never been anything but kind to me. And I feel… _better_ … when I’m near you. I know how that sounds. It’s three fries short of a happy meal kind of looney. All of this… _it’s all crazy._ ” He closed his eyes, his voice getting quieter. “I feel like I’m losing my mind. And I don’t even care. Because I’ve just… as whacky as all this is, I’ve been alone for so long… and if I’m dreaming, I don’t want it to stop. Because I’m happy. Every reason I shouldn’t be… and I’m happy. Everyone here… _you_ … you’re the reason.”

Harry smelled tears. The salt prominent in the cold air. _Fuck_. He moved gently, pulling Cisco in completely. Ramon’s arms moved around him, his hands flattening to Harry’s spine as he buried his face into Harry’s shoulder. And Cisco trembled, a fine tremor running through him at breakneck speed. 

“I know what it means… to lose everyone. Everything. I know the pain of it, Cisco.” He lifted a hand to the back of Cisco’s head, fingers sliding through his hair in easy movements. He closed his eyes, letting Ramon fill up his senses, continuing the smooth strokes in his hair and reveling in the feel of him in his hold. Cisco seemed to fit there, like a puzzle piece. And his warmth was a stark contrast to Harry’s cool body. He felt a slight pang in his chest. A twisting somewhere in his not-beating heart. Harry could feel Cisco’s heartache, his unease. And _damn_... he wanted to erase it, to take it all away.

Harry had read all about what had happened to Ramon’s mother and brother, what had happened to him. He didn’t know the intimate details, only what had been released to the press. But he and Snow had surmised that it had to have been the event that lead to Ramon’s eventual downfall. He’d fallen off the map in the engineering community. He had no connections they could find. He was in an extreme amount of debt. And Cisco Ramon was a loner. That fact alone never seemed to add up. Because he was so vibrant and amicable. How someone with such a spirited personality could live such a shut-in life had confused him. But it also made a terrible amount of sense, now that he knew what Cisco was. 

“I had a wife. A very long time ago.” Harry felt Cisco breathe in at his words, the air in Ramon’s lungs coming out very slowly. “She was a brilliant woman. Far more intelligent than I was back then. She was my partner in everything.” He opened his eyes, his unique sight letting him see everything clearly. “I had been away for weeks. I came home just in time to find her bleeding out on the floor. Something had attacked her, torn her throat open. She took her last human breath in my arms.” Cisco pulled away, but only enough to see Harry’s face. “I buried her that night, feeling as though I had died with her. I didn’t know…” he shook his head a little, watching Ramon’s eyes dance back and forth between his own. “She found me several months later. And turned me.”

“How… how old are you?” Cisco sounded unsure, subdued by Harry’s words. But Harry smiled knowingly, moving his hand away from Ramon’s hair and down to his back. 

“I’m four-hundred and forty-seven years old.” Cisco’s eyes widened considerably at Harry’s words, his jaw gaping slightly. “It seems like a long time, I know.”

“ _Seems?_ Dude, it _is_ a long time.” His expression sobered, Ramon shaking his head a little. “I feel like I should be freaked out a whole lot more than I am… by everything.”

“But you’re not.”

“No… because… because it’s you.” Cisco’s words made Harry tilt his head a little, his eyes flashing cat-like in the dark, which made Ramon zero in on his gaze.

“Because it’s me? I don’t understand.”

“I can’t explain why, but… I’m so drawn to you, Harry. Like you’re a magnet. I don’t even want to fight it. All I know is I feel safe here, that I feel welcome and… and home. And it makes no sense at all and… _Shit_ ,” he put his forehead into Harry’s shoulder with a sigh, “None of this makes sense. I should be having a mental breakdown, a full-on panic attack, _something_. But I just feel… numb. Okay… but numb.” 

“It may hit you later. It may even pull the rug out from under you. But I’ll be here for you when that happens… if you’ll let me.” Harry half-whispered. But Cisco’s head snapped up suddenly, eyes going a little wide again. 

“I almost forgot! That vision or whatever it was that I had in the elevator? I saw you, man. You were seriously hurt, and I was trying to get you to…” his voice died away, and Harry recalled the words that had started all these revelations.

“Feed… drinking blood when I’m injured can help repair damage, or sustain me long enough till I can rest.” 

Cisco nodded, as though the word ‘feed’ hurt to hear. There was pain in his eyes. And something told him it wasn’t at the thought of giving Harry blood…

“You saw it, didn’t you. Your family’s murder.” 

The pain flourished at those words. And Harry instantly regretted saying them. But Cisco nodded timidly. “I didn’t know what I was seeing.” His voice sounded so small, so exhausted. “It was all bits and pieces… every night for nearly a month. But it wasn’t enough to narrow it all down, ya know? I never actually saw any blood or a gun or any of that. I didn’t know what I was looking at… till I saw it in person.” The last few words choked out, fresh tears welling up and rolling down his cheeks. Cisco shook his head at himself. “I’m sorry. I keep crying in front of you.”

“You don’t ever have to apologize for that.” Harry lifted a hand and smoothed a thumb over Cisco’s cheek, wiping at a very warm tear. 

“I’ve… never told anyone any of that before.” Cisco seemed to realize.

“I don’t think any of this is something you’ve experienced before.” Harry offered him a smile. “But I’m glad you told me. I’m glad you trust me enough to tell me.” Cisco nodded as Harry’s hand fell. 

“I do trust you. If I didn't trust you I wouldn't keep holding onto you like you’re some kind of... security blanket. I have no rational idea why… but I do.”

“Gee, thanks for that.” Harry smirked. And Cisco smiled, though he still looked tired. The sort of tired that had nothing to do with physical limitations and more to do with an exhaustion that was settled deep inside the spirit.

“Oh, so we’re being rude now.” Cisco quipped, then lifted a hand and nudged Harry’s shoulder. They both laughed lightly, and Harry let himself smile. Really smile. Enough that his fangs showed without hesitation. It seemed to make something close to adoration cross Cisco’s features. “There’s still… so much I want to ask. But I’m not sure I can handle any more revelations tonight.” Harry nodded, stepping back a little, lifting both hands to completely dry Cisco’s cheeks.

“Then don’t ask anymore. You have all the time you need, Ramon. None of us are going anywhere. And you don’t have to actually work till you’re ready.” His hands slid down Cisco’s arms. “We were prepared for you taking longer to heal. None of this was really supposed to happen so fast.”

“Were you even going to tell me, if I hadn’t gone All-Seeing-Eye on you guys?” Cisco asked, looking down at Harry’s chest in thought, his eyes roaming the skin that was exposed from the unbuttoned portion. 

“We knew it would come up. No one who has gifts like yours can be kept in the dark for long. I suppose I thought we’d have more time to figure out how to tell you everything. You ruined all our possible best-laid plans.”

“To be fair, none of the last week has gone according to the plan that I didn’t have.” He lifted his eyes with a heavy blink and a small smile. Harry let out a slow breath. Cisco looked downright adorably sleepy.

“You should rest.” He stepped completely away, letting his hands fall empty at his sides. 

“I know I should.” Cisco was frowning slightly, looking at Harry’s hands, then up at his face. “But… I don’t want to have nightmares… _again_. And I know I will.” He raised a brow at himself. “This honesty thing is really going to end up biting me in the ass, isn’t it.” Harry quietly smiled. He looked past Cisco to the penthouse. 

“You said you trust me.” He looked back at Cisco’s eyes, which he could admit he was increasingly beginning to adore. Cisco nodded, brows furrowed in question. “Come on. Maybe I can help you sleep a little better.” 

About ten minutes later, Cisco was laying under the covers. And Harry was laying beside him on top of the blankets. They were face to face, Cisco’s sleepy eyes blinking at him heavily as Harry ran his fingers steadily through his long, soft hair. “So now what?” Ramon asked quietly. The lights were off, but there was a sliver of light coming from beneath the door and the dim glow of a nightlight came out of the bathroom. 

“Now, you sleep. Don’t fight it.”

Ramon heaved a breath. “Why are you so good to me?”

“I don’t know any other way to be to you.” He admitted easily. Had Cisco Ramon been anyone else, Harry was certain he wouldn’t act this way. But Ramon wasn’t just anyone else. He knew it. _Felt it._

“You barely know me.” Cisco closed his eyes at that. Harry settled more, letting himself relax into the bed. 

“I know enough.” For now. Truth was, he wanted to know everything about him. Every last thing. 

But for now, Ramon needed to rest, he needed to come to terms with the direction his life had taken, he needed time to heal. And as long as Harry was around, he would make sure that was exactly what Ramon got…

* * *

Coffee. That was coffee he smelled. And the good stuff, too. 

Piping hot, strong, and as bitter as a jilted woman. Heaven in a cup. He blinked heavily at the aroma, opening his eyes and lifting a hand to shove his hair out of his vision. And then he yelped, because he wasn’t alone in his room. Or on his bed.

Sitting with her back to the headboard was Caitlin, her legs stretched out, a tablet in her hands. On the end of the bed was Iris, who was sitting with her legs crisscrossed and feet beneath her, Ampere in her lap (traitor), Barry was in the chair near the corner, looking at something on his phone, and sitting on the floor with a bunch of papers was Jesse. Off to the side was a rolling table with everything everyone needed for coffee. “Um…” slowly, Cisco sat up, blinking away the tiredness and glancing from one person to another. “Hi?”

“Morning!” Iris said cheerfully. “This cat is the cutest, most charming fur-goblin I have ever met.” She kept gliding her hand over the feline’s side, and Ampere soaked up the love like the little hussy he was.

“How’d you sleep?” Caitlin asked beside him, leaning into him comfortably to get his attention as he pushed himself back against the headboard. 

“Ask me after coffee.” He mumbled, rubbing at one eye. Barry chuckled, standing from the chair and slipping his phone into his pocket. He went to the cart and pushed it up against the side of the bed Cisco was closest to. 

“Not a morning person, huh.” He stated, grabbing up a cup for himself and pouring some coffee out of a stainless-steel pot. 

“Morning’s are evil. Whoever came up with them should be arrested.” Jesse said, not looking up from her paperwork.

“Here, here.” Cisco said, reaching for the coffee when Barry set it back down. Once he had his own mug in hand, he let his eyes roam again. “So, uh… not that I’m not happy to see y’all… but…”

“But what are we doing in your room?” Barry asked, sitting back in his chair with cup in hand. 

“Yeah.” Cisco sheepishly smiled, then took a sip, the (for the moment) black coffee warming his insides perfectly.

“Dad told us what happened last night. So, we all took the day off to be with you.” Jesse said, finally looking up and smiling. Cisco blinked, lowering his mug into his lap. 

“Why would you do that?” He realized the question was a bit accusatory the moment it left his mouth. But Caitlin nudged him gently, making him look at her.

“Isn’t it obvious?” She smiled cheerily, far too awake if he was being honest. “You’re family now.” The words, the look on her face, the nodding heads in agreement all around him, the feeling of lightness in the room made him tear his eyes away and look straight down into his coffee. 

“Being family with me is like looking both ways before crossing the street and then getting hit by an airplane.” He said without daring to look at anyone. Despite his words, he was touched, more than he could currently express. In a week’s time, his whole life had gone from awful, to ridiculously crazy and amazing. And it was because of everyone in that room. And Harry, of course. Where was he, anyway?

“Cisco…” It was Iris’ voice that drew his attention, and he tried very hard to hide the sorrow in his eyes. But he knew she could see it by the way she smiled at him. “Remember when we said we all came from rough starts?” He nodded at her. “None of us thought we belonged here at first. None of us thought we deserved it. But Harry saw something in each of us. And we found something in each other. None of us would flippantly say you belong here if you didn’t.”

“And you do, man. You really do.” Barry added. “I know it’s been a whirlwind several days. But that’s why we’re here now.”

“Yeah, we’re going to make this transition as simple as humanly possible.” Caitlin grinned beside him. “I mean, who better to guide you through the nuances of preternatural existence than us?” She made it sound like fun, and he chuckled against his will. _Dammit,_ how dare they make him feel better so quickly. Cisco looked around at them, one at a time. He was met with smiling faces and friendly eyes.

Maybe it was about time he gave in completely…

“I do have a boatload of questions.” He smiled back, then took a long sip of coffee. 

“I bet.” Jesse remarked, “Dad filled us in, he said you got pretty tired.”

“Where is Harry?” Cisco asked quickly, and looked down just as quickly. No need to sound eager, right?

“He couldn’t put off rest anymore. He’d been up for almost five days.” Caitlin said, almost sternly. “Could have beat him for putting it off that long.” He gave the woman beside him a long, studying look.

“You all care a lot about him.” He looked back around him, “About each other.” He let his head rest back on the tall wooden headboard. “You’re all so different.”

“In more ways than one.” Iris nodded. “You know what Caitlin and Harry are. Did they get a chance to tell you about Barry or me?”

“Wait,” He sat up a little straighter, “You guys have superpowers, too?!” Barry chuckled instantly, Iris laughed. Caitlin and Jesse both smiled brightly at his reaction.

“I like that. Superpowers. Never thought of it that way before.” Barry answered. “And yes, just different from you and Caitlin.”

“But you’re totally human, though, right? Cause… not sure I can handle finding out that werewolves are real.” He was smiling as he said it. Iris stretched her legs as Ampere wandered off for a place near the door. 

“Well, I’m Fae, like my Mom was. Though I had more of a human life when she passed. My dad tried his best to raise me with what he knew, but a lot of it I didn’t learn till I came here.”

“Fae… so, like a fairy?” He narrowed his gaze, “You got glittery wings hiding in that sweatshirt?” 

She chuckled. “No. Nothing like that. But I am very in tune with nature and animals tend to gravitate toward me. I have Spectral energy in me, same as you.” She motioned at him.

“Spectral energy?” He set his now empty mug aside (oh, yes, did he chug that motherpudger.)

“We didn’t get around to talking about that yet.” Caitlin said beside him. By that point, she was resting easily side by side, arms and shoulders lined up with him. “All preternatural people and creatures have something called a Spectra. Right here.” She reached over and patted his sternum gently. “For those who can see it, it looks a lot like blue lit up water beneath the surface of the skin?” She asked the others who nodded in agreement, except for Jesse who just sat and listened. “The Spectra is sort of… a door between here and where the energy comes from, a plane of existence outside of ours. It’s where you get the specific energy to see things we can’t. Where I get the energy to help injuries and illnesses heal. Where Iris gets the energy to walk in nature and where Barry gets the energy to control the air. We’re all born with our gifts, and a way to tap into them.”

“Control air?” Cisco was rubbing his sternum, trying to picture something there. “That’s a thing?”

“Yup, I’m a Sylph. I can control air currents, create them, manipulate them to do certain things. My biological dad could, too. My mom was human. So, I guess we’re all a little halfsies.” Barry grinned, making it sound a whole lot less strange than this all was.

“But we’re still human. That hasn’t changed.” Caitlin offered him, curling a hand into his bicep. “We’re just… different.”

“Except me.” Jesse sighed, as though she’d had no choice but to accept that fact long ago. “I’m just another normal human.”

“Girl, there isn’t anything normal about you. Trust me.” Iris ascertained, making the young woman smile. “I’ve never met any person our age with so many doctorates. It’s unheard of. So, no. You are certainly not normal. Which is why we all get along so well.” They all laughed a little at that. Jesse pushed herself up to get some coffee, and then Iris made room for Barry to sit beside her on the bed instead of across the room in the chair. It was a good thing this was a big bed, or someone might end up going overboard.

“And Harry…” Cisco spoke up once Jesse found the only other spot left to sit on the mattress, her knee draped over Cisco’s leg. “He’s a vampire… so, not human.” Everyone exchanged glances.

“He used to be.” Caitlin turned and reached across Cisco for the pot, pouring herself some more coffee into her mug. “In fact, his mind, his heart, even his physical body is still very human. It’s his nature that isn’t. And he has a Source instead of a Spectra. Sort of the darker equivalent to our natural energies.”

“He said he was very old.” He didn’t say the age out loud, not sure if Harry would appreciate that being thrown around. “How has he lived this long without someone, other than you all, finding out what he is?” It was one of the many questions running through his head.

“He’s not like other vampires.” Jesse cradled her cup in both hands, completely happy to sit in their strange little circle on Cisco’s bed. “See, when a vampire is ‘born’, they lose who they were. All they know is hunger and darkness for the first few months. And then they start coming back to themselves, but without most of the better emotional tendencies humans have. Dad never had to experience that. He woke up knowing who he was, what had happened to him… and what he’d turned into. He’d held on to his humanity somehow. And it wasn’t long before he figured out he was much stronger than Tess, or most other vampires for that matter.”

“Tess?” Cisco blinked, “Oh, right. His… his wife.” Jesse nodded.

“She was attacked by a vampire, fed its blood. By the time Dad found her, it was too late. And he had no idea what vampires were. People were still pretty young, then, as far as intelligence and what we knew about the hidden world. So he had no way of knowing what she was going to become. And eventually, she found him, turned him. He never would have chosen that. To this day, he says it was the most horrific thing he’s ever experienced.”

“I remember him saying that. Didn’t he say Tess had lost her mind? That becoming a vampire made her go insane?” Barry asked quietly. Jesse nodded.

“Yeah. She was nothing like the woman he’d married. She was more monster than anything else. Vicious, unable to fight her hungers. Or maybe she just didn’t want to. Either way, when Dad figured out who she turned into, he left. She hated him after that. Every now and then she’d pop back into his life and do something… truly awful.” Jesse looked straight at Cisco, “She was the one who killed my parents.”

“Holyshit…” he whispered, eyes a little wide. “Jesse, I’m so sorry.” Cisco felt a pang of guilt rise up his throat. Though he wasn’t entirely sure why he felt guilty.

“It’s okay, like I said before, I’m glad it was Harry who found me. He tried to save my parents. But Tess didn’t really give him a chance. He was able to at least stop her from killing me. Afterward, he could have just left me there, let the cops handle it. But he knew that Tess would come after me. So…” she shrugged, smiling, “He adopted me. I’ve always known where I came from. And always known what he is. He’s never lied to me about any of it.”

“He’s spent centuries learning how to hide, how to fit in the crowd or to stand out enough that no one would suspect he’s anything but a little eccentric. The only other person who knows anything about what he is, is my Dad. And that’s because Harry saved his life. That’s how I met him. And how I came to work here.” Iris explained. 

“I was living in a dorm at Central City U, was working toward getting my first thesis published. He held this seminar at the university and was recruiting for the labs. I knew right away he wasn’t human. And he knew I was gifted. So,” Barry shrugged, “He recruited me on the spot. The only student in the whole school.” He smiled at that, as though it still made him happy to think about.

“Harry found me when I was fourteen. I lived in foster care, my parents had died years before. I had a mostly decent life but no one who understood what I was. I was too afraid to trust anyone that much. Harry saw me healing someone, and pulled out all the stops to have me become a ward of S.T.A.R. Labs. He wanted to make sure I had the space and opportunity to learn what I wanted and to gain control of my abilities. All things I never would have had elsewhere.” Caitlin was cradling her mug comfortably now. Cisco soaked it all in. Everything they were saying. 

“So, it’s him, then.” He spoke softly. “Harry’s the reason you’re all so happy.”

“Yeah, you could say that.” Jesse smiled brightly. Iris reached over and squeezed her knee. 

“He’s given us a lot. More than we ever thought to ask for. I meant it when I said this is our home. And that… we’re really a family. No matter how different we are, no matter where we’ve come from, we’re family now. You included. And if it wasn’t for Harry, this wouldn’t be our reality. Though, he likes to dispute that fact.”

“He’s very self-deprecating. It’s absolutely annoying.” Caitlin mumbled over her mug before taking a sip of her very sugary coffee.

“Okay…” Cisco sighed out deeply, reaching up and running his fingers through his tangled hair. “Tell me… tell me more about vampires.” 

In a little under an hour, Cisco was treated to all things vamp. 

Vampires had a laundry list of hungers, usually stemming from their previous human life. Blood was a given because that was their only form of sustenance. But there was also stuff like knowledge, art, power, even sex. Vampires couldn’t have kids. Something about, ‘What is dead can’t produce life.’ Which made sense. But at the same time made other things seem odd. A vampire’s system couldn’t have the circulation and function to enjoy a slice of pizza or to eat a taco but the body miraculously rallied up the circulation to make sure Mr.Winky still worked? That particular question had made Barry laugh so hard, he fell off the bed. Caitlin explained that for all intents and purposes, a vampire’s body functioned normally except for not needing a beating heart. It was the Source that gave whatever energy was needed. Walking, talking, thinking, all that good stuff wouldn’t be possible without it. The Source was like their Spectra but from a different plane. (Apparently, all this knowledge was something Caitlin was privy to because of what she was. Cisco couldn’t imagine waking up one day and just ‘knowing’ all this. But Caitlin didn’t seem bothered by it at all.)

Cisco learned there was so much that stories got wrong, like the stuff with sleep and the sun. Vampires couldn’t do the whole mind-control thing, for one. And any charisma or pull they had was something that carried over from being human. (Which meant Cisco was doomed because he found Harry too charismatic to be real.)

Vampires also had a sort of hierarchy. There were younglings, a totally ridiculous term. Those were new vampires, freshly made. They started out mostly feral and in need of another vampire’s guidance until their Source was fully formed. Then there were the Voided, basically regular vampires. The ones with no real power beyond being what they were. Still dangerous. Still immortal. Still very much vampire. But not much more beyond that. 

Then Alpha, who were physically, metaphysically and mentally stronger than all other vampires. They were as close to the very first vamp that ever existed as a vampire could possibly be. And yes, Harry was totally one of those. Which made absolute sense, if Cisco really thought about it. Harry practically breathed power and composure. It was hot as hell, which Cisco would never admit out loud.

All vampires, for the most part, were strong. Abnormally so. When Harry said he’d stopped a bus, Cisco hadn’t known he meant with his bare hands. And when they did ‘sleep,’ it was literally dying, from what he came to understand. Basically, Harry’s body and brain would cease to function. And whatever powered his Source would spread throughout the body, healing it or repairing dead cells. Once the process was finished, Harry would wake up, ready to go for another three or four days. Jesse explained that seeing Harry out for the first time would be a little jarring. Apparently, it was easy to tell that Harry was dead-dead when he ‘slept.’ Cisco wasn’t sure he wanted to see that. Or would ever be ready to see that. Because Harry was so full of life, so intense and magnetic… the idea of him being any other way made Cisco severely uncomfortable.

As far as vampires went, Harry was quite odd (according to everyone in the room.) 

When he’d first been turned, he didn't need barely any time to adjust to his Source. It only took him a few days, and he was in complete control. (Jesse thought it was because he hated not understanding things, hated not being in complete control of himself and his surroundings, even when he'd been human. That totally sounded like Harry.)

Unlike other vampires, Harry’d been alone for nearly his entire vampiric existence. Having Jesse enter his life had changed all that. Then one after the other, these amazing people had worked their way into his world. Cisco couldn’t imagine how awful it must have been, to live so long without connections, without love and family and friends. He’d been without it for seven years… and that was more than terrible. He couldn’t understand why Harry would choose to live that way. (It was something he definitely wanted to ask him in person.)

Vampires, for the most part, surrounded themselves with other vampires, usually living in groups of three or four. They also had something called Siphons, humans who willingly fed them. Stronger vampires, like Harry, could ‘sire’ as many vampires as they wanted. (Yet Harry had never sired a single one...) And there was also something called Bonded, those they chose to share their unnatural longevity with. Evidently, vampires could each choose one human, without turning them, to gift immortality to. Honestly, it wasn’t something Cisco really understood. Not that he truly understood a lot of this stuff, but he was trying (and failing a little.)

The big takeaways Cisco had were, first of all, he wished there was a vampire Wikipedia for him to look at. And secondly, almost all vampires were evil to an extent. All vampires started from the One, the very first vampire who had been probably the evilest human being alive thousands of years ago (and had a long-ass history that Cisco wasn’t sure he really wanted to know any more of.) That evil bled into the Source of every vampire. Even Harry. Caitlin said there were times that embracing that darkness, that evil, was easy. Wanted. Cherished even. 

They all explained that there were times Harry could be cruel and hard to understand. That there were moments when even they thought they wouldn’t be able to forgive him (though they always did.) They said it like a fact, and like something Cisco should prepare himself for. But they also said that Harry actively fought those parts of himself. That he never stopped trying to better, to be the good man they all saw in him. That Harry, above all else, still knew how to love. And that was what truly set him apart from the rest of his kind.

When the ‘information download’ was over, and they all left the room to let him shower and get dressed, Cisco was more than a little overwhelmed. If he hadn’t experienced visions, if he hadn’t seen the things he’d seen in his life, he’d have been certain that all this was one big, ridiculously elaborate prank. But as he stared at his bruise-free reflection, as he prodded his no longer painful ribs and ran his fingers over the pink scar on his arm, he knew without a doubt that everything they’d told him was true. That the man he was more and more finding himself drawn to was really a vampire. That his life was never, ever going to be the same.

And, for whatever reason, he wasn’t even mad about it.

Nothing could have prepared him for all these changes. Nothing could have told him that this was where his life was headed. But now that he was there, he couldn’t imagine it going anywhere else. It seemed right. And that was the craziest damn thing of all. Because he might have been a little (okay, a lot) overwhelmed, but he wasn’t fighting it. He wasn’t in denial, or any of the other things he should have been. 

Because something was coming into focus now. 

Something from seven years ago, when a bullet slammed into his head and his family had been taken from him. 

It was that face, hidden in shadow, and too fuzzy to properly see. That face he’d tried so hard to hold onto before he’d slipped into the darkness of his coma. A face he could fully see now. 

It belonged to Harrison Wells. And that was all the proof Cisco seemed to need to know… this was exactly where he was supposed to be…


	6. "Easy there, Satan."

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Harry and Cisco come closer than ever. But a tragedy lessens their newfound happiness...
> 
> (Warning: mentions of suicide, death)

It had been exactly one month since Cisco had first met Harry. One month since his life had been completely overrun by a gang of happy, hyper and pretty damn amazing people that Cisco had effortlessly bonded with. 

He already couldn’t imagine his life without any of them. 

They filled his days and nights with effortless laughter and a feeling of ‘home’ he hadn’t known even existed. Harry, most of all. Cisco was very aware there was something happening between them. Something that didn’t quite make sense. Cisco would find himself instinctively sitting with him, bickering with him comfortably, touching him without thinking about it. The urge to be near Harry was too strong to fight. So, he just… didn’t.

He also had come to realize that the strange energy he’d felt in that first week was so present now, it had become normal. He felt it all the time, even when they weren’t near each other. It was more than a little soothing, like he had his own personal internal reassurance that Harry wasn’t far. And despite all the reasons that should have weirded him out, he only had to think about Harry’s face to remember why it didn’t.

In a way, Harry had been with him for seven years. Cisco just hadn’t known it.

He knew it now. Knew that what he’d seen after being shot had been everyone here, and most importantly… Harry. Cisco was pretty much thoroughly stuck. Harry was quicksand, and Cisco had stepped right in without worrying about what might happen. And so far, he didn’t regret it one bit. Why would he? Harry had become Cisco’s only true source of hope. It was a lifeline he refused to let go of anytime soon. And it was also more than that. 

Cisco was so completely attracted to Harry… the strong body, the smell of him, the more than beautiful eyes, the enticing lips, the capable hands, the arms he’d come to think of as the definition of ‘safety,’ the messy hair and grated voice that he had more than once heard in his dreams by now. And there was the man’s mind. He’d always known that Harrison Wells was smart. He never could have predicted how smart. Working side by side with him was as easy as blinking. Harry also had a surprising sense of humor, hidden in sarcasm and subtle wit that Cisco found himself rolling with all the damn time. And to top all that off? Harry was also relentlessly kind to him. So much so that it hurt sometimes. How something could hurt ‘good’ was a new concept to Cisco. One that he was easily adjusting to.

Working had honestly been more of an adjustment than anything else, which he wasn’t sure said anything good about his psyche (because any normal person would have been far more tripped out by finding out they were a Seer, and that Fae and Sylphs and Healers were a thing, and that their new too-hot-for-words boss was a vampire.) 

Since day one, Cisco kept getting lost in the maze-like building. Though at least he managed to get the lab areas and the way to the penthouse memorized. (The building was way too enormous for the number of people that actually worked there, in Cisco’s opinion.)

For another thing, he not only had to figure out how to work with people he really didn’t know, but he’d never been in charge of anyone before. Most days, he pretty much winged it. And so far, that seemed to be working out for him. Except with Donna Smythe. That woman fought him on everything when Harry wasn’t around. If Harry was there, she stayed quiet. She was seemingly terrified of the tall man. Not so much of his temper, though that was definitely a thing that Cisco had witnessed a time or two, but because she didn’t want to lose her job. Cisco pretty much took Donna’s attitude with a grain of salt, thanks to Caitlin’s sound advice. _‘The version of you she’s created in her mind is not your responsibility, Cisco.’_ Caitlin had said. He was never going to get used to how intuitive she was.

Working with Barry, Caitlin, Jesse, and Iris was like second nature now. The four had been a team before he’d come along. And they'd adopted him into it. They called that team a ‘family,’ one he was a part of as far as they were concerned. They’d used that term with him more than once. He was beginning to believe they meant it. And that terrified him a little.

“If someone was covered in paper cuts and you threw them into a pool of lemon juice, how long do you think it would take them to die?” Barry asked, holding his glass of lemonade into the light and staring at it. Iris was eating a bowl of oatmeal beside him and nearly choked on her spoonful. Cisco was sitting on a stool in front of the long counter in the kitchen. It was the middle of the day, but they were on lunch break.

“What circle of hell did you crawl out of?” Jesse asked, coming around the corner and opening the fridge with an amused glance at Barry. 

“What if you rolled their body in salt first?” Cisco piped up, sitting a little straighter, and raising both brows in question.

“Easy there, Satan.” Iris chuckled.

“Margarita of pain.” Barry gasped excitedly.

“Oooh!” Cisco pointed at him and snapped his fingers, “Murderita.” The two men high-fived. Caitlin stopped just in the entrance of the hallway, a notebook and pencil in her hands as she stared at them worriedly.

“Are you two okay?” She asked as Barry took a long sip of his drink. Cisco shook his head.

“Nope, next question.” Cisco answered for them both. The women chuckled and Barry grinned.

“I have a question.” Harry asked, stepping off the elevator. Cisco never even heard the thing open. In fact, he hardly ever heard Harry appear. The man was ninja-level quiet, even when Cisco was expecting him. Harry was looking at Iris, who was stirring her oatmeal thoroughly. “Why did you schedule a press-conference without talking to me about it?” Iris paused her chewing and shook her head, swallowing.

“I did talk to you. Four weeks ago. Remember? It’s been on the calendar since last Tuesday. We haven’t announced any of the new projects, and we need to. We have to stay in touch with the public, Harry. You know that.” Iris popped another spoonful into her mouth and rested her rear against the counter behind her. 

“I hate the public.” Harry put his hands on his hips. “The public is unfathomably stupid.”

“You have three weeks before it even happens. So, you better get used to the idea You’re such a big baby.” Jesse smiled at him, unwrapping a piece of string-cheese, causing him to narrow his gaze.

“You best eat your words, child.” He said flatly, hands falling from his hips as he glanced at his watch. “Why are you all up here at… 1:21?”

“Lunch.” Barry said, situating himself beside Iris who smiled with her mouth full. 

“At the same time.” Harry let his eyes roam around them all and sighed. “You’re all procrastinators.”

“Only when we’re together.” Caitlin was sitting on the back counter by this point, legs crossed at the ankles, pad of paper in her lap. She beamed brightly at Harry. “Don’t worry. We’re all caught up on our timetables.”

“All of you… including you?” He was looking at Cisco as he asked it. It made his breath catch, which he instantly cleared his throat at. Sometimes, he hated the absolutely physical reaction that Harry’s stare had on him.

“Yup. Math is done. Models all came back positive. Construction begins in two weeks when the last of the supplies get here. Anna dropped all the data off at your office.” Cisco smiled, he was pretty proud of himself. Though, if he was being honest, it all had been easy. The team he’d inherited had done a lot of the leg work. His math filled in the missing pieces, and his ideas (of which he had literal tons, once he got going) helped push what they already had into being a reality. The logistics had been way more of a challenge. But between himself, Caitlin and Jesse, they’d gotten everything ready just under the wire. Harry had really let Cisco run with everything, completely trusting him to get the job done. He wasn’t about to let him down.

“Really.” Harry wasn’t asking, he lifted his chin a little. “That’s impressive, Ramon.”

“Um, thanks.” He said softly. Harry just nodded once, then looked at Iris.

“I’m not doing the press conference.” He threw out and turned, heading toward the hallway.

“No, Harry!” Iris nearly spit her spoon out, his name coming out mumbled and sloppy. Harry didn’t stop, disappearing around the corner. “I hate when he does that.” She frowned, setting her bowl down on the counter. 

“What’s the big deal? He always seemed fine doing the conferences I’ve seen.” Cisco offered up. He had watched more than a few on television, eagerly tuning in to at least keep somewhat in the fold of today’s science. Harry had always seemed so confident, precise, and beyond intelligent. And the way he’d spoken always held Cisco’s attention, beyond captivating.

“You have no idea the struggle…” Iris sighed out. Jesse chuckled, throwing the wrapper of her string cheese into the garbage beneath the sink. 

“Dad hates talking to crowds. Hates being on tv or having interviews. He’s always been like that. We practically have to sell our souls to get him to do them.” She explained.

“I am not looking forward to this battle.” Iris pushed away from the counter, looking at the hallway with a grimace.

“I can try talking to him for you.” Cisco shrugged. “How hard could it be?” Of course, he was sure he was being far too naïve on that point. And the faces around him told him he was asking for trouble. But he slid off the stool and pushed it in. “Don’t worry, I got this.” 

“We should… probably get back to work.” Caitlin said, her brows slightly raised as she hopped off the counter.

“Right.” Barry said, coming around the counter. He stopped directly in front of Cisco and put both hands on his shoulders. “Good luck, my friend.” There was a look of sheer pity in his eyes. Then he winked and dropped his hands, turning toward the elevator. 

“Wait, why would you say that? Barry?!” Cisco demanded. Jesse smiled sympathetically, the last one in line as they all piled in. “Great…” he said to no one, the doors closing and leaving him standing suddenly alone in the kitchen. And for more time than he probably needed to, he stood there opening and closing his hands and letting silence settle around him. “Alright… cut it out, you wuss.” He chastised himself. It wasn’t like he couldn’t talk with Harry. The man practically was the yin to his yang when they had discussions or worked together or bickered. (Cisco had never known bickering could be so much fun…) 

He moved for the hallway, heading toward Harry’s room. The door was open and he paused at the threshold. He hadn’t actually seen inside Harry’s room before. It was a lot brighter than he’d imagined. It was set up a lot like his own, but in blues and whites. The furniture was still black, but the floor was a light brown wood, the curtains a clean sky blue, the bedding a darker, more sapphire like color. The biggest difference was the desk on the far wall, where Harry was currently standing, sifting through a stack of mail. He had his glasses off. His dark sweater had been discarded, leaving him in just a gray t-shirt which severely made Cisco’s mind malfunction for a brief second due to the fact he could see the muscles beneath it, defined. A runner’s physique. 

“Don’t bother trying to convince me.” Harry spared him a glance, making him blink out of his trance. Cisco frowned a little, stepping in without asking and crossing his arms over his chest.

“What’s the big deal? You’ve done a ton of press conferences.” He demanded, watching Harry’s eyes turn up to the ceiling as a sigh left his mouth. He dropped the mail onto his desk and turned to face Cisco.

“Having a business like this, the public needs a certain amount of involvement. I understand that, and in some ways even appreciate it. But I’m tired of my face being the center of attention.” He reached behind him and grabbed a magazine off his desk, moving toward Cisco right after. He held it out to him. Cisco dropped his arms and grabbed the Science Now magazine. Right on the front cover was Harry, in a dark gray suit, arms crossed and eyes seriously blue behind his glasses. The headline read, ‘Pioneer, Philanthropist, Humanitarian. How Doctor Harrison Wells Breathes New Life into Science and Furthering the Expansion of the Human Mind.’ 

“The interview is bogus.” Harry put his hands on his hips. “None of the things they talk about would have been possible without the people here, and yet they focus entirely on what I do, or have done. They didn’t add a damn thing about the progress made by many of the individuals here.” Cisco looked at Harry’s expression, lowering the magazine. He seemed genuinely upset about what was in the article, Harry’s eyes glistening with agitation. He motioned to Cisco. “I want to step away from… this. To let the work speak for itself. If they really need a face,” he moved away from Cisco back toward his desk. “Then they can use someone else.”

Cisco watched him quietly, weighing his words. Because he’d seen Harry upset before, seen him frustrated to the point of throwing things. But there was something different about the agitation he was giving off now. Harry loved science. It was his religion, his faith, his cornerstone. But he also cared relentlessly about his people. Sure, he could play the part, be the face of a company and its progress. But he didn’t believe he was the cause of it all. Cisco glanced at the magazine cover again. And it dawned on him… the Harrison Wells in that photo didn’t look as calm and happy as he was pretending to be. Cisco could see it, in his eyes. Come to think of it, all the photos he’d ever seen of Harry looked like that. Why hadn’t he noticed it before?

Well, that was a simple answer, actually. He hadn’t known the man before. 

Cisco stepped further into the room and tossed the magazine onto the end of Harry’s bed, the reaction making Harry turn to look at him a little. “You are absolutely beyond amazing.” Cisco said firmly. Both of Harry’s brows raised slowly, his hands hanging at his sides, an envelope held loosely in his right hand. “And you don’t even know it.” Cisco stood right in front of him, staring up into those depthless pupils. “You care so much. I know you don’t think people notice or maybe you intentionally try to hide it from everyone. But you are so invested in people, not because it’ll give you better P.R., but because you’re just… a really good man.”

Harry’s expression had sobered considerably. And his eyes took on a quality that Cisco had never seen… sadness. “No, I’m not.” He said gently. But there was nothing gentle about those words. 

“What?” Cisco’s confusion was palpable.

“I know they all answered your questions, explained my nature to you.” Harry said, tossing the envelope back on the desk. He didn’t look at Cisco again. Instead he stood somewhat sideways, hands on his hips, staring at a spot on the floor. “I’m not good, Cisco. It’s impossible for me to be.”

“Are you serious?!” He snapped at him, feeling his own brand of frustration take hold. Harry didn’t even flinch.

“Very.” He looked at him sideways. And Cisco felt like throttling him. Because that was… well that was some serious bullshit. “What I am is evil. My Source comes from evil. It’s sustained by evil. This isn’t news to you now.” Cisco found himself moving even closer, like he wanted the space between them to be as little as possible to make sure Harry had no choice but to listen to him. 

The closer he got, the more Harry’s eyes seemed to soften. Even roam a little, until they settled on Cisco’s own dark hues. There was a unique intensity to even his softest stares, as though something about Harry was only on alert, always focused, always ready for anything. Like a soldier with no off button. And yet it didn't make him seem frightening to Cisco. It could probably scare the shit out of most people when used properly. But at the moment, it just made Cisco feel more pulled in than ever. And he came in swinging with his sword of words.

“You are the stupidest smartest man I have ever met, you know that?!” He poked Harry right in the chest, making the taller man’s brows raise instantly. “I had a plan, you know. And you messed it all up!” He growled out, “I’d spend the rest of my days paying the debt I inherited from my family as penance, and when I was finally all caught up…” He paused, swallowing a little. There were things he never admitted out loud, things he’d never told anyone. And it seemed that lately he was always revealing these things to Harry. He breathed in deeply and let the air out in tiny increments, holding Harry’s confused gaze. “I was going to end it all.” His voice had grown soft, slightly pained. “But then _you_ had to exist. You and those crazy people who live here, and you had to completely take over and make me feel like I matter and that I can actually live a real life and-“ Harry cut him off suddenly, his cool hands coming up and holding Cisco’s face, his digits somewhat disappearing into his hair.

“Ramon…” he half-whispered. Cisco could see him struggling, like he didn’t know what to say. But the look on his face said it all for him. It physically hurt Harry to think about Cisco dying. And that made Cisco’s heart ache again, in a way that was too good.

“This is what I mean, Harry…” He whispered back, lifting his hands and holding Harry’s cool wrists. “This is what I’m telling you. You’re not evil. Anyone who could save me like that…” He closed his eyes, desperately begging himself not to cry and failing. He could feel the warm tears fill up the edges of his lids. “You’re not evil. You might have evil in you,” He opened his eyes to look at the other man, “But we all do. It’s what you choose that makes the difference.” He let his hands fall, but only to step that much closer, resting his hands on Harry’s shoulders. 

He wasn’t sure how this conversation had taken such a drastic turn. But having pretty much admitted he had wanted to kill himself before they’d met made him feel suddenly weak and tired. Not physically, but spiritually. Harry wordlessly pulled him in, wrapped his arms around him, let Cisco melt into him like somehow he could feel Cisco’s emotions.

“You saved yourself. By posting that proof.” Harry sighed gently, resting his cheek on top of Cisco’s head. “I’m sorry, Cisco. I’m so sorry for all that you’ve been through. There have been so many times…” He paused, pulling back enough to see Cisco’s face. And Cisco could only stare. Because in that moment, Harry looked and felt like heaven to him. Despite the weight of their words, Cisco could only feel… “You look at me the way I want to see myself.” Harry whispered, and there was reverence in his tone, in his eyes. And it made something click in Cisco’s head. Made him not want to think anymore, or to rationalize, or to try to control anything. And before he knew it was happening, he’d completely deleted the distance between them.

Harry’s lips were as cool as the rest of him. 

At first, Harry didn’t move. Like he’d been startled into becoming a statue. But then his hands came back to Cisco’s face, and his lips relaxed against Cisco’s, and Cisco felt all the tension flee his own body because… _this was happening._ This was really happening. He was kissing Harry! And Harry… _Harry was kissing him back._

It was so gentle, so tentative. As though neither one of them wanted to rush it or push too hard. They separated briefly, catching each other’s eyes. There was an unspoken question there in Harry’s pupil-blown stare. A sort of constant worry that Cisco recognized instantly. Harry was always so cautious with him, so tender. And knowing that even in this Harry wasn’t changing made his heart explode. 

He searched Harry’s lips with his own. The contrast between his warmer lips and Harry’s colder ones was equal parts stark and comfortable. It wasn’t till they pushed the kiss further that Cisco realized Harry’s complete lack of normal warmth was damn intoxicating. Their tongues met in silken strokes, Cisco’s arms wrapping around the man before him, one of Harry’s hands molding to the back of his head as the other slipped to his lower back. Pressed up against him, so firm and solid, made a soft moan escape Cisco’s lungs. 

Harry kissed like he was on a mission. Like searching Cisco’s mouth was the most important thing he would ever do. And yet there was no rush to this, no greed, no harshness. It wasn’t till Cisco’s lip pressed against something sharp that Cisco remembered… the man he was currently attached to could literally kill him without breaking a sweat. And yet all he felt from him was tenderness, gentleness. Why couldn’t Harry see how amazing that was?

Cisco finally had to come up for air, Harry seemingly not impeded by that affliction. Their foreheads pressed together, Cisco breathing slightly heavy, his heart rampaging in his chest. “I… I never expected…” Harry began, but he almost sounded shy. Which was a hell of a thing, considering who the man was. It made Cisco open his heavy-lidded eyes, made his delightfully swollen lips spread into a smile. Harry ran the pad of his right thumb over Cisco’s bottom lip and pulled back enough to examine Cisco’s face. “You have no idea how remarkable you are.” His voice was soft, raspy but aching. Cisco reached up with one hand, tracing Harry’s laugh lines before slipping his fingers into the taller man’s unruly hair.

“That’s the pot calling the kettle black.” Cisco said with a wink. It made Harry smile, bright and wide like he’d only ever seen a few times, his sharp canines flashing and apparent. “You have no idea how long I’ve wanted to kiss you.” He admitted, a sudden shyness of his own raging and making his cheeks heat up. 

“I have wanted to taste your lips from the moment I first saw you.” Harry’s words came out so easily and without a hint of guile. It made Cisco laugh, moving forward and faceplanting into Harry’s shoulder, letting the taller man engulf him in his arms. 

“You are nothing like my head said you were.” He closed his eyes, gritting his teeth at his own words. _Stupid, stupid, stupid._ Why did he say that?! He really needed to readjust his filter. He lifted his head slowly, wincing lightly at the expression Harry had. “Judging by the look on your face, I’m going to assume I thought out loud again.”

“You saw me before we met.” Harry stated plainly, one brow raised. Damn him for being so smart. Cisco cleared his throat a little, shrugging.

“After… after I was shot? I saw faces. Had feelings. It was everyone here. But… mostly you. I just didn’t know it. I couldn’t get your face into focus.” He lifted a hand again, tracing Harry’s jaw, like he just did not want to stop touching him now that he could. “I used to imagine what you would be like. I imagined you were the epitome of safety. But I never really thought you were anything else. Probably because I didn’t know it was you until… until I came here.” From an outside perspective, it would all sound insane. Like Cisco should be locked up in a padded room. But Harry’s expression was light. “I think,” he breathed in heavily, “I think we were supposed to meet. That you and I were supposed to find each other and drive each other nuts and-“ Harry stopped his words with another kiss. 

So slow, so sensuous. Fuck, Cisco was addicted already.

“You talk too much sometimes. You know that?” Harry whispered along his lips after a moment. A shudder ran up Cisco’s spine because _hot-damn…_ “There are merits to shutting up, Ramon.” 

“Pain in the ass.” Cisco smirked. And Harry chuckled, a sound Cisco really liked. “I have no idea how this all happened. I was only supposed to convince you to-“

“No, still not doing the press conference.” Harry interrupted.

“Stop doing that!” Cisco nudged him. Harry just looked amused.

“I’ll tell you what I _will_ do.” Harry pulled away from him, his hands smoothing down Cisco’s ribs before letting go. He moved toward his closet and opened it up, pulling out a plain, dark gray shirt. “I’m going to take you out for a real lunch. And then…” he turned, slipping the cloth on, fingers tugging it in place as he smiled at Cisco.

“And then what?” He asked, watching the taller man. Harry moved back toward him, closing the snap buttons one at a time as he went. 

“Then, you and I are going to go somewhere private to talk.” He leaned forward and pressed his mouth back to Cisco’s. A firm but subtle press of lips. Cisco smiled against him, nodding when Harry pulled back. He felt light, as though he would literally float away if gravity didn’t exist. Somehow, a chunk of pain that Cisco had been carrying around for what felt like forever was no longer there. He didn’t try to explain the reasons why to himself. He simply focused on the fact that Harry was here. Harry had kissed him back. Harry wanted more time with him. 

Cisco Ramon hadn’t known happiness like this in far, far too long…

* * *

It was dark by the time they reached the bridge. 

Walking, for Harry, was never tiresome. And humans in the city seemed to be used to it. Cisco included. He never once complained about walking from the labs to the Ferine Bistro (where Cisco ate as much pasta as he could manage, which was a surprising amount), then to the Damiski Bridge. The tall, long structure was one of Harry’s favorite places. It had walking paths to either side of the deck, and on every spire and support beam were plaques dedicated to different people who had made some sort of sacrifice in history. There were high, not too bright lights along the paths, offering some semblance of vision for anyone who bothered to walk there at night. The many, many times Harry had been there, he had yet to see more than a half dozen people at any given time. And though there were always plenty of cars on the bridge during the day, at night it seemed all but abandoned. It was probably why Harry liked it so much.

They had stopped at the middle of the bridge, Cisco leaning against the railing comfortably to look over the water. The Damiski River was a popular shipping route from the harbor, leading to the shipyard and the warehouses beyond. There weren’t any currently traveling through, but the lights of the city twinkled all around them, somehow making the quiet river seem as though it were very alive. Harry wasn’t looking at the river, however. He was leaned sideways against the railing, watching the cool breeze flit through Ramon’s hair. A view he found much more appealing.

“Ya know, for as long as I’ve lived in the city, I don’t think I’ve ever walked on this bridge.” Ramon looked thoughtful, glancing at Harry and turning himself to face him fully. “I like it here. It’s quiet.” He smiled. Cisco had been smiling all day since they’d kissed. They never made it back to the labs after leaving, Harry selfishly using up all of Cisco’s time. Ramon didn’t say word one about it, spending the hours talking, laughing, picking on each other. It was the most relaxed Harry had felt in months. And he knew he had Cisco to thank for that.

“I come here often. There aren’t many places in the city that aren’t crowded.” He mused, reaching up and curling some of Cisco’s hair behind his ear. The shorter man closed his eyes at his touch, stepping closer. They hadn’t kissed again. Harry thought it was because it had been a sudden thing. And if those fleeting kisses in his room were all he ever got, Harry would be grateful. Mostly because he never thought he’d even get that much, even after what Caitlin had told him. Why would he? Cisco Ramon was a truly good, wonderful human being. And Harry would never believe he deserved him.

“I need to ask you something.” Cisco urged, opening his eyes and moving into Harry entirely. His hands gripped warmly to Harry’s ribs, those chocolate brown eyes holding his gaze effortlessly. He kept quiet, studying the flecks in Ramon’s dark hues. They hadn’t really talked about anything too serious, yet. They'd discussed the labs and the group and Ramon’s childhood. They talked about where Harry had come from (a place on the Eastern seacoast that didn’t exist anymore), his brothers (apparently Ramon had a hard time wrapping his head around Harry having so many siblings), and stuff as simple as the city itself. 

“Do you want… I mean, do you think…” Ramon seemed to be having trouble getting his thoughts out, and he actually pouted a little, shaking his head, “Okay, let me try this again.” He straightened up a little. Harry rested his hands on Cisco’s hips, just to touch him somehow. It seemed to steady Ramon because his expression grew determined. “Do you want to have a relationship with me?” Had any other person asked him that, he may have laughed. May have shrugged it off. May have done any number of things. But Cisco Ramon wasn’t any other person.

“Ramon…” he half-whispered, letting out a slow breath. Then he found himself just closing that distance, tasting those lush lips, letting the scent and feel of Ramon fill him up entirely. When they separated, Cisco was just standing there, lips slightly parted, eyes still closed. Harry had to smile. “The honest answer is yes. But there’s so much we should discuss before even thinking about it.” Ramon opened his eyes at that, furrowing his brows a little.

“You want me, I want you. What’s there to think about it?” He asserted, and Harry chuckled. Cisco’s expression lightened. “I’m serious, Harry. I like you. I really, _really_ like you. More than I think I’ve ever liked anyone. I want to see where this goes. I mean, if… if that’s what you want too.”

“I want that. I do.” He responded gently, “But there are things to take into consideration here. Like… what I am. And what it would mean to be with something like me.”

“Okay, I’m listening.” Ramon settled himself entirely against Harry, letting him hold him firm and steady. There was so much energy around him now. He was practically seeping trust and curiosity. It was a heady combination. 

“Well,” Harry furrowed his brows a little. He’d been trying to think of what to say and how to say it for hours. But it had been a very, very long time since he’d ever considered having a relationship. For obvious reasons. “You should know… I haven’t been with anyone in a little over one hundred years.” Cisco’s eyes widened at that, brows shooting up record fast.

“ _Holy shit!_ ” He blurted, then smiled wide. “And I thought I was having a dry spell.”

“Dry spell?” Harry shook his head. “You’re ridiculous. And there’s a reason I’m telling you this.” He narrowed his gaze, “I can be… hard. Cruel, even. It’s part of my nature. Being with me, you’ll see things… sides of me that you won’t like. Given a choice, I didn’t want anyone to go through that. Though to be honest, I think I’m starting to see I simply never found anyone I thought would want to.” He heard the pleading in his own words, and almost hated it. But he wasn’t in the habit of lying about what was important. “Ramon, I have hungers I won’t want to fight. If we… if we decide to do… certain things,” he cleared his throat a little, “I may become quite possessive of you.”

Cisco seemed to be concentrating hard on what Harry was saying, soaking it in, retaining it. Harry could practically see the wheels turning in his head. “You held yourself back all this time from having a relationship or even sex because you didn’t want to become possessive of someone.” He stated so fucking easily that Harry just blinked. “I can work with that.”

“What does _that_ mean?” Harry questioned, raising his chin a little. Cisco shrugged.

“It means, I may end up being just as possessive of you.” Cisco sighed at the lack of a reaction and shook his head. “Harry, I want you. I don’t want to be afraid of that. I don’t want to deny that I feel everything I’ve been feeling. Because I haven’t felt things like this in so long. You’re the only one who has ever made me want to… _to live._ ” Those words were heart-wrenching. Harry’s hands instinctively got tighter around Cisco. “You and your mind, your sarcasm and humor and damn beautiful eyes and stupid smile and too sexy for words body and…” he stopped himself, smiling slowly. If Harry’s heart could beat, it probably would have been doing summersaults. “I may not be fantastic with the words, but I’m ridiculously attracted to you. Emotionally, mentally, physically. So, if I get to be at your side every day, if I get to see you smile at me without hiding your fangs," Cisco pointed at Harry's mouth, "If I get to feel this happy all the damn time… then you can be as possessive as you want.” 

“How do you even exist?” Harry asked in quiet wonder. Cisco rose up in response, pressing his mouth to Harry’s without pretense. It was a short kiss, but the feeling of Ramon’s soft and warm lips lingered. “There’s more than just that.” He cleared his throat a little, happy to be just holding Ramon there in the middle of the bridge where anyone could see them. “There’s an energy… between us, that’s been there since the hospital.” He struggled to explain, but there seemed to be an instant understanding in Ramon’s eyes.

“You feel it, too?!” He demanded, “What is it? I feel it all the time now. Does it have to do with me being gifted and you being… you?” Harry shook his head. 

“We all have our own energies. All humans, all preternatural creatures. Everyone. But sometimes… sometimes those energies combine. Sometimes they’re meant to fit together. Two halves of one whole. One is not quite complete without the other half.” He wasn’t sure that was the best way to explain it. He knew that Caitlin would have done a much better job. But realization slowly dawned on Cisco’s face. The shorter man had always been able to decipher Harry’s musings. Harry wasn’t sure if that was a good thing just then.

“Dude, you’re saying… that we’re…” he moved one hand to motion between them. “Huh.”

“Huh?” Harry repeated. “What do you mean, huh?”

“I guess I mean… _okay._ ” He blinked at Harry. “It makes sense, in a weird way. Certainly explains what I’ve been feeling.”

“And you’re just alright with that.” Harry gritted out. Cisco’s continuous lack of agitation was still confusing, even now. 

“Why shouldn’t I be?” He let out a breath. “I mean, I can see the past, present, and future. Caitlin can make all boo-boos vanish. Barry can cause tornados. Iris can talk to animals. And you’ve literally lived off the blood of people for hundreds of years. If I’m going to accept all that, then I need to accept this, too.”

“No, you don’t.” Harry’s tone was flat, and a little angry. It made Cisco’s brows curl. “Ramon, you don’t completely understand. This isn’t supposed to be possible. It only happens to humans. And I’m not-“

“Human?” Cisco tilted his head. “You were once. And even though you obviously have a lot of inhuman tendencies now, you still have a really human soul.”

“You sound so sure about that.” Harry mumbled. Cisco reached up and stroked Harry’s cheek tenderly. 

“That’s because I am. _I see you,_ Harry. I don’t know how it’s possible, and I don’t know why it’s you. But it is.”

“Just like that?” 

“Just like that.” Cisco confirmed. “Soulmates.” Cisco smiled at Harry and then laughed. “Man, that is _so_ corny. And perfect.” Harry couldn’t help it. Hearing the word leave Cisco’s mouth made the whole night light up. Sure, they would probably have to find answers later on. But for right now? He wrapped his arms completely around Cisco and hoisted him up so easily that the shorter man yipped when his feet left the ground. He felt Ramon’s hands cling to his back and shoulder. 

“You… are perfect.” He whispered, then kissed Ramon with everything he was.

Once they were able to extricate themselves from each other, they began to walk back. Ramon grabbed Harry’s hand, entwining their fingers like it was the most natural thing to do. He could feel happiness just melting off of him, his joy permeating Harry’s senses. To think he was the reason to make Cisco feel that way was amazing to him. He’d never made anyone feel that way. Happy, yes, to an extent. But truly elated just to be in the moment? Never. He was sure of it. 

“So… over a hundred years, huh?” Cisco’s voice broke his thoughts and he glanced sideways as they turned to move to the sidewalk. 

“Really? That’s what you want to talk about?” He smirked. Cisco nodded.

“Oh, absolutely.” 

Harry looked straight ahead and sighed. “Like I said, impossible.”

“And perfect. Don’t forget perfect.” Cisco beamed at him. Harry laughed lightly.

“I did say that, didn’t I.” 

“Seriously, though…” Cisco looked ahead, slipping his free hand into the pocket of his sweatshirt as they continued walking. “So long without a relationship. You must have been so lonely.” He sounded remorseful at the thought. “In fact, living so long… how did you not go completely mad without people?”

“I do get lonely. Or… I did, before I found Jesse.” He watched the red hand on the walk signal, stopping at the crosswalk as they waited for it to change. “I drowned myself in learning, in science. It was easier to feed the hungers I knew I could control. It’s infinitely harder to watch the people you care about grow old without you.” He looked at Cisco, “It will be just as hard now. But when Jesse came into my life, and then everyone else wormed their way in… I realized I was missing out on too much.” Ramon nodded, pulling Harry into walking when the signal changed.

“I wish I could say I understand what that’s like. I know how it feels to lose someone, but not like that.”

“I think sometimes that I’ve lived too many lives. And when I lose all there is to lose, which is bound to happen, I may find a way not to live more.” He knew how that sounded. It was just as bad as Cisco admitting he’d wanted to commit suicide at one point. But for Harry, it was something that seemed logical. Everything that lived had to die. And someday, his soul would be too exhausted to keep going. It happened to all things that lived unnaturally long lives. Presented with the idea of still going, of watching the world move on without them, they tended to find a quick and easy way to say goodbye.

“I know how you think, and to you that just seems like another unavoidable fact,” Cisco squeezed his hand lightly, “But I hate the idea of you not being around.”

“You won’t have to worry about that in your lifetime.” He attempted to console, but at the same time, it hurt him to even think that Cisco would one day grow old and die. He felt his steps slow, felt Cisco slow in unison. 

“This… _this_ is what bothers me.” Ramon whispered, turning to face Harry completely. “You don’t deserve to be alone, to suffer like that.” Harry raised a hand, slipping his digits into Cisco’s soft hair.

“You didn’t, either, you know. I know you blame yourself… for what happened to your family.” Cisco scrunched his nose a little, then moved completely into Harry.

“I used to. But I’m starting to figure out I have far less control of things than I thought I did.” He narrowed his eyes, “And don’t think I haven’t noticed you’ve turned the attention away from yourself. I’m on to you, Harry.”

“Harrison Wells?” A female voice pulled both of their attention to the right. Coming up the sidewalk was a lovely redheaded woman, her hair pulled back in a braid, wearing jeans, black sneakers and a long white jacket. She was smiling, maroon lipstick making her pretty smile even lovelier. She looked to be about Harry’s age, if he’d been human. She stepped right up to them, glancing from Ramon back to Harry as Cisco stepped slightly away from him, though grabbed back on to his hand. “My god, you haven’t aged a day.” She laughed lightly, leaning into him for a hug.

He only used one arm to return the action, patting her upper back awkwardly. He hated being physical with anyone who wasn’t in his inner circle. And he knew damn well that Doctor Rebecca McAdams knew that. When she pulled away, he nodded at her. “Rebecca.” His tone was calm, at ease, in that way he’d practiced habitually. She glanced again at Ramon, then extended a hand.

“Doctor Rebecca McAdams.” She offered up cheerily. Cisco shook her hand with a smile, subtly twining the fingers of his other hand into Harry’s. 

“Cisco Ramon. You own Liberty Labs, right?” He asked, and she nodded, raising both brows. 

“I do, I do.” She smiled brightly. “You’ve heard of me?”

“Absolutely. That chemical spill your company caused last year was all over the news. It completely destroyed the ecosystem of an entire endangered marsh.” Ramon almost sounded like he was talking about the weather, it made Harry fight a grin, staring at Cisco’s completely calm face. “In fact, you’re still not done cleaning up that mess.”

“Yes, well… we’re doing everything we can to fix things. Spared no resources in… doing so.” She furrowed her brows, more at herself than Cisco, like she wasn’t quite sure why she was defending herself to someone she didn’t even know. “I’m sorry, who are you?”

“I’m-“

“My boyfriend.” Harry declared, cutting Cisco off, watching Rebecca’s brows shoot up and her mouth open slightly. He could feel Cisco’s eyes on him, his joy radiating that much more. Sure, it was an antiquated descriptor. But for modern-day sensitivities, it was true. “Though that hardly gives him justice.” He looked down to meet Ramon’s gaze.

“Well, that’s certainly… something. I had no idea you had those sorts of proclivities, Harrison.” She slipped her hands into her pockets, taking a step back.

“Love seems pretty normal to me, lady.” Cisco turned just to glare at her. 

“Quite.” She responded flatly. “Well, I will leave you two to your night, yes? It was good to see you, Harrison.” She nodded at them both, painting on that lovely, fake smile, and she hurried down the opposite direction of the sidewalk as fast as her expensive sneakers could take her. But Harry wasn’t watching her walk away. He was watching Cisco.

“Wow, I mean… I knew Doctor McAdams was sketchy, after everything I’ve read about Liberty, but that’s a whole new level of-“ He froze when his eyes met Harry’s, and Ramon blinked. “What is that look for?” He said very softly. 

Harry knew exactly what he was talking about. Because Harry wasn’t trying to hide it. Not anymore. After seeing Cisco stand up to a woman who was morally corrupt on her best day, a woman whose business had given him nothing but trouble in the last twelve years, and hearing Cisco say the word ‘love’ like the whole world should know that’s what he felt (even if he hadn’t directly said it to Harry), it all just stirred a hunger inside of him he had been fighting for far too long. A hunger that fired up new and demanding, one specifically focused in on Ramon.

He moved his hands around the shorter man, grabbing him by the ribs, pulling him flat and firm against him. Cisco’s hands went up to hold his arms, steadying himself, eyes widening. Harry lowered his lips near Cisco’s ear, closing his eyes and breathing him in, letting the smell of his coconut shampoo and salt-laden skin fill his lungs. “I want you, in any way you’ll let me, right now.” He whispered, because though there was no one nearby, he wanted only Ramon to hear those words.

Cisco’s whole body suddenly tensed, a shiver ran up his spine so hard that Harry could feel it. And he smelled something growing in the air, heady and thick. It almost mirrored his own hunger. It was Cisco’s instant and uncontrolled _want_ . Want for him. Want for what Harry would do to him. “ _Oh god, yes._ ” He managed to choke out, peeling away as Harry let him go, Ramon grabbing the taller man’s hand and yanking him into a jog. 

Harry laughed and followed. Because this… this was happiness. This was joy. This was everything he’d denied himself for so long. To think, all it took was a man like Cisco Ramon to exist. Harrison Wells was beginning to think that somehow, he’d become very, very lucky…

* * *

Harry knew this pain. 

It radiated off of Iris in waves that barely receded. Barry was holding her close and tight as she sobbed on the couch. Caitlin stroked her back lightly, tears quietly rolling down her own cheeks. Every thought of exploring Cisco’s body was completely erased from Harry’s mind. And from Ramon’s, too, by the look of his pain-filled eyes. “I’m so sorry, Iris.” Cisco whispered. He was crouched before her, one hand on her knee. She pulled herself away from Barry to wrap her arms around Cisco. He rose up, his expression startled like he hadn’t expected it, steadying himself on both knees to hold on to her. His eyes locked on Harry, wet but refusing to cry. Because Cisco knew this pain, too. The pain of a sudden death and not being able to say goodbye.

Detective Joe West had died while on duty. Not from a bullet, not from an accident. But a sudden massive heart attack had ripped his life away. Iris had found out just before Harry and Cisco got back. And the news was, to say the least, horrible. Harry had liked Joe. Respected him, even. The man had raised a brilliant daughter alone, had tackled the strangeness of having a Gifted child with little to no guidance on how to help her flourish. And Harry had learned early on that there was a wisdom to the brave man that most people could never claim.

Jesse walked up to him, then, molding her arms around his middle. He hugged her back, rested his cheek on top of her head. The smell of tears and pain and sorrow was everywhere. It was so thick, he had to dampen his senses against it. Part of him wanted to fully acknowledge his own sadness. To cry, to yell, to threaten whatever gods might be listening to give Joe back. But he refused. He had to be strong for the people here, for Iris. For Jesse, who was shaking in his hold as she too attempted not to cry as hard as he knew she wanted. 

No one could predict these things. No one could truly be prepared if they did. Even Cisco, who could see the future at times, wouldn’t have been able to stop this. Death took what it wanted without anyone’s permission.

As the night wore on, and they all escorted Iris to see her father’s body, and the weight of the loss became a settled thing in their bones, Harry grew increasingly quiet. As Iris turned to cling to him, after he promised to take care of everything (because funerals were expensive, and Joe deserved the very best), he struggled to understand why these things ever had to happen. Especially to the people he cared about, the people he loved. 

Death abandoned him so long ago, but it still showed its ugly face… just to remind him, just to torture him. Just to make sure that he never forgot… Death would come back for him one day. And when it did, there’d be no way to stop it…


	7. "Ramon... I'm going to take my time with you."

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Cisco wakes up to find that his new family has made interesting plans. Ones that include both him and Harry. And Harry ends up having some ideas of his own...

-June 1623-

_It was pain._

_It twisted his insides. Electrified his skin. Warped his bones._

_It was ravenous, unending, burning him from the inside out._

_It was Hell._

_He was in Hell, he was sure of it. Because nothing else made sense, even to his logical mind. Finding out Hell was real was… excruciating. He had never genuinely believed in God or Heaven or the Devil. But this was real, this terrifying state of existence he was trapped in was real. Perhaps this was his punishment for being faithless._

_But slowly, as the hours trickled away, he began to feel other things…_

_Cold… it filled up the marrow of his bones._

_Emptiness… in his very veins._

_Stillness… when had his heart ceased to beat?_

_Hunger, desire, craving… for so many things… too many…_

_Then emotions. Feelings that made no sense. Hatred like he’d never felt. Anger as though it was literally all he was made of. Rage… pure, unchecked rage. These couldn’t be his feelings… couldn’t be him…_

_There was whispering._

_A million voices in unison yet not quite in synch._

_It filled his head, became so loud and thundering that his skull felt as though it was shattering. But still… he could understand everything that spoken. What he heard filled him with a fear he had never known._

_And the hunger grew. It consumed him. It flowed out of him. It demanded sustenance, it demanded to be sated. And the rage flared, tumultuous and terrifying. And he could feel himself moving. His body was reacting. His hands… his mouth… what was he doing?_

_The answer came to him in a struggling tide of blood and need. A red haze came into view as he swallowed and kept swallowing. Something thick, coppery, warm… it flooded down his throat. And he wanted more…_

“That is right, my love. Drink your fill, it will help with the pain.”

_That voice. He knew that voice. He knew it like he knew his own skin. But she sounded so different… pleased, proud even. And completely not the woman he remembered in a way he couldn’t understand._

_He hated not understanding._

_And for some reason, that thought made the red haze fade. It made his hands loosen on the object in his hold… no, not object… man… that was a man._

_He let out a strangled yell, shoving the man away with all his strength… too much strength. He nearly tossed him into the river that lay a good twenty feet away. His own body shook, repulsion slithered like acid in his veins. He could taste blood in his mouth, and it tasted so… good. He yelled again, scrambling to his feet, eyes wide and wild. It was nighttime, but he could see everything, down to the finest detail. Including the sheer joy on Tess’s face._

“What…” _he croaked out, wincing, and bringing a shaking hand to his mouth. Because he’d felt something long and out of place to either side of his upper lip. His fingers touched sharpness. His teeth… but pointed?_ “What did you do to me?!” _He demanded, hand falling, his voice strangled and rasped. Tess clasped her hands beneath her chin and laughed._

“Oh, Harrison! You have come to yourself so quickly!” _She exclaimed._

_A sudden pain filled his stomach, like he’d been stabbed repeatedly in a split second. It made him cry out, fall to his knees, hands clinging to his stomach. Tess kept smiling, turning away from him, grabbing the man he’d tossed so haphazardly. She dragged him by the foot, as though he weighed nothing, stopping just before Harrison and kneeling beside him, smoothing her hand over his spine._

“You need to feed more. You are not fully sustained, yet.” 

“No, no…” _He whispered, squeezing his eyes shut as more pain roared through him. The yell he let out then was the most inhuman thing he’d ever heard. Had he really made that sound?_ “Tess, please…” _he begged her, feeling her pull him into her, his back to her chest as her other hand dragged the now noticeably clear sight of the dying man into his lap. His throat was in tatters, his chest covered in blood. But he was still breathing, barely. Shallow, gurgling breaths met Harrison’s ears. He wanted to say no again, wanted to tell Tess to just let him die, to let him fade away, to let the hunger eat him alive._

_But the smell… the smell of blood… he’d never wanted anything so badly in his entire existence. Before he could stop himself, he had yanked the man up to his mouth, his newly sharp teeth digging back into his throat. The man’s whole body twitched. And Harrison fed. God help him, he fed. He couldn’t control it. He drank and drank and didn’t stop. All the while knowing, as Tess whispered in his ear, that he had been right._

_This was Hell._

_And Tess was the Devil…_

* * * 

“Harry?”

Iris’ voice was small. Quiet. Nothing like he was used to. She’d been that way since her father died. Harry could hardly blame her. He turned next to the chair he was standing by to look at her. She was still wearing the purple dress she’d worn to Joe’s funeral, the simple attire lovely on her. She’d insisted on no one wearing dark clothes. She’d said her father had been too filled with color for a funeral like that. Harry had agreed. They all had. Harry was still in the dark blue suit he’d worn, the light blue shirt now untucked and the sleeves rolled up, his jacket discarded on the chair.

“I wanted to thank you. For everything you did.” Iris continued, stopping a few feet from him. But he held a hand up, shaking his head. 

“You don’t ever have to thank me for this, West.” He had never really fallen out of the habit of using her last name, even after she’d married Barry. Her expression softened at the sound of it, her eyes downcast and growing wet. He moved forward quietly, hooking a finger beneath her chin gently and tilting her head back up. She looked at him with a mix of sorrow and silence. “You’re my family. So was Joe.” And just like that her face crumpled. Her tears flowed free. And she moved into him. He didn’t hesitate to hold her. 

He also hadn’t hesitated to pay for the funeral. Joe’d had a police officer’s sendoff provided by the city. But Harry paid for everything else. He’d done everything he could to make sure that it was as painless and smooth as possible for Iris. Not that saying goodbye to her father would ever be painless. He let out a slow sigh, smoothing a hand through her hair, his other hand holding to her back. And she just cried against him.

In a way, he was honored by this. The fact that she was so comfortable and felt safe enough with him to be this open and raw was no small thing. Neither was what she meant to him. He was never hands-on like this with anyone except their close-knit circle. It was too hard to get truly close to anyone else. Except for Cisco, of course. It had been so effortless to grow close to that man, it made him wonder if part of himself was changing.

It took Iris a few moments to compose herself enough to pull away, a hand coming up to wipe her cheeks, her delicate fingers trembling softly. “I know you’ve been through a lot today, and that you’re tired,” Harry began, offering her a light smile as she stepped back once. He motioned his head to the couch, “But there’s something I need to give you.” 

“What do you mean?” She asked, and he pointed to the couch. She narrowed her eyes on him, but went and sat. He plucked the gray folder off the chair beside him and then sat next to her, holding it out. “Harry, what did you do?” She asked almost sternly. But he said nothing.

She opened the folder, eyes roaming the pages within. And then a choked sound came out of her mouth, a hand going up to stifle it. 

“I know you and Allen have told me you never want to leave this place. But someday you’ll decide to have a family of your own. And when you do, you’re going to need a real home to raise it in. What better place than this?” He motioned once to the papers. He’d bought Joe’s house outright. It seemed right, important. Joe had raised Iris in that place. Barry had proposed to her in Joe’s living room. The house had a history in its walls, an important one. Or at least, important to someone Harry cared about. Iris didn’t say anything, just set the folder aside and turned into him, wrapping her arms around his shoulders and neck. He could feel her shaking, soft sobs coming out uncontrolled. “I want you to take time. As much as you need.” He spoke softly, holding her. “I don’t want you to rush this, West.”

She pulled away, taking in a shuddered breath. “I miss him so much.” She shook her head, searching Harry’s eyes. “I keep thinking… trying to remember… did I tell him I loved him that day? Did he even-“

“No, stop. Stop that right now.” Harry furrowed his brows. “Your father always knew how much you love him. He never doubted it for a moment. Torturing yourself over things that you can’t recall won’t help anything. And you and Joe both deserve better.” She sighed at him, heavily, her eyes still very wet. But her expression was softer now, less pained somehow. “I wish I could ease your hurt. I’m sorry you lost him, Iris.” He rarely used her first name, but it seemed to make her focus on him more. “But if you ever do anything like that again, I will ground you in his name.”

She laughed at that, a tired sound but still real. “I’m glad I know you, Harry.” She said, reaching up and smoothing his shirt out where she’d cried against him. “We all are.” She stood up then, bending over and kissing his forehead before grabbing the folder and quietly walking away. He watched her go, feeling subdued. 

Of all the things he could do, of all the things his mind could create, of all the power he had, nothing helped with this. Not truly. He couldn’t take her pain away. Or any of their pain, for that matter. And he wanted to. He wanted to just snap his fingers and make the heartache and hurt and hidden wounds disappear. But he was useless. And it made him angry. Much angrier than he’d felt in a long time.

He’d been actively fighting that anger, the feel of it worming around beneath the surface of his control. It was a direct line to his hunger. The sort of hunger that wanted to feed off a living human, and not from a blood bank supply. The sort that made him want to pull a warm body close, to drive his fangs into flesh, to fill himself up with the life-sustaining liquid he needed.

Harry closed his eyes and relaxed entirely into the couch, sinking into it, concentrating on anything else he could. Fuck, even thinking about _dust_ would be better than feeling this. 

He’d always hated this part of himself, from the day he’d woken as a vampire. There was nothing good about it. It was all animalistic instinct and tumultuous emotions, and even though he did need blood to survive, he hated where that need stemmed from. For years, he’d been able to deny the intoxicating lust behind the idea of just taking blood. But things like anger, grief, pain -physical or not, always seemed to make that part of himself flicker back to life. 

“When was the last time you slept?” 

Cisco’s soothing tone made his eyes open instantly. The shorter man was standing in front of him, hands in his pockets. His maroon suit, black tie, and white shirt, which Caitlin had bought for him, fit him perfectly. His hair was in waves around his shoulders. His eyes looked sad but bright. He wasn’t wearing his shoes anymore, just black socks. And he was staring at Harry like he could memorize the image of him by sheer force of will alone. Harry blinked, shaking his head a little without really moving otherwise.

“I don’t even remember.” He answered honestly. He’d lost track of time the last week. It was easy to forget to do things like rest when so much was going on. Cisco sighed deeply, then pulled his hands free of his pockets, taking his suit jacket off and tossing it to the end of the couch. Then he was just moving into Harry without a word. Before Harry could question it, Cisco was straddling him, sitting right there in his lap with his hands on Harry’s neck, fingers moving warmly against his skin in soft strokes.

They hadn’t been close like this since the night Joe had died. Not that Harry, or even Cisco for that matter, didn’t want to. But they’d spent all their free time keeping their own little corner of the world, and the people in it, from completely falling apart.

Harry lifted his hands, sliding them up Cisco’s thighs, the feel of the man’s warmth beneath his palms was the best thing Harry had felt in days. “I’ve missed you.” Cisco leaned forward and pressed his forehead to Harry’s, closing his eyes. “I’ve wanted to touch you, to kiss you for days.” He whispered, then did just that. Ramon’s mouth on his was everything. Harry let himself focus on the man connected to him, his hunger fading almost instantly to the contact. Or maybe not fading… maybe turning into a different kind of hunger. One neither one of them had yet to fully address.

The kiss itself was tender, longing, as though holding themselves back from this simple act had been an absolutely terrible idea. But no one knew about them, yet. They’d both agreed not to say anything, or to act further on their obvious mutual attraction, simply because it was horrible timing. 

But there, in the quiet of the living room with no one else around, Harry didn’t want to do anything else but act. His arms wrapped further around Cisco, Harry’s upper body rising away from the back of the couch as he pressed Cisco’s chest to his own. Ramon responded by holding Harry’s face, the kiss deepening so much more, tongues danced, lips working to gain whatever familiar pleasure they could find. In a heartbeat, Harry could smell Cisco’s heat. It was intoxicating, like a drug in the air. 

He had been so trapped in his own grief, in his need to be strong for everyone, in denying himself this that it hadn’t occurred to him how much Ramon might have been hungering, too.

Harry pulled his lips away, but not far. He trailed them along Cisco’s jaw, down his throat, stopping at the pulse there, tasting the skin. Cisco’s breaths came out heavy, a hand plastering to the back of Harry’s head as the other hand clung to his shoulder. “Harry…” he whispered out, his head going back a little as Harry moved to the other side of Ramon’s throat. “Wait, wait…” There was no conviction in the order, but Harry slowed, eased up, pulled his mouth away. It was hard, _so very fucking hard_. Because Cisco tasted like salt and passion and everything he’d already been denied. He breathed heavily against Ramon’s throat, feeling both of the shorter man’s hands glide into his hair. Then he lifted his head to look at him, Cisco’s pupils were wide with need, but there was also an understandable tiredness there.

“Come to bed with me,” Cisco offered, a gentleness to his tone Harry hadn’t expected. “I want to do this, seriously… _God_ , you have no idea how much I want you.” Cisco smiled warmly. “But we’re tired.” He smoothed his palm over Harry’s cheek, stroking his thumb just beneath Harry’s eye. “We need to rest. Both of us.” Slowly, Harry smiled. Something about this level of care warmed him. So much so that Ramon could have asked him to curl into a Harry-shaped ball, and he’d have given it his best try. He loosened his hold on Cisco, nodding lightly.

“You’re right.” His voice came out thicker than normal. It seemed to make Cisco blink, _hard_. “But… I’m not sure we should rest in the same bed.” Cisco frowned a little. 

“You think I’m not ready to see you like that.” He wasn’t asking. Harry clenched his jaw a little, then sighed. 

“It’s not something that anyone should want to see.” Harry admitted.

“I know all about it, Harry.” Ramon softly chastised, holding his gaze. “Jesse told me everything. And yeah… the idea of it freaks me out a little, but,” he shrugged, “It’s part of who and what you are, right? So, I want to see it. I want to be there for it. Because I want you.” Harry smiled, he couldn’t help it. 

“You are so much stronger than you realize.” He reached up with both hands, smoothing Ramon’s hair away from his face, bringing all his beautiful features into the light. “And stubborn. You don’t have anything to prove. If you’re not ready, then you’re not ready.”

“I’m ready, Harry.” Ramon sounded slightly grumpy. Harry chuckled. “I’ve been thinking a lot about it. I’m all in, man.”

“You make it really hard to argue this.” 

Cisco grinned at that. “Totally the point. Just let me win.” Harry was quiet, amusement clear on his features, then he nodded.

“Fine. This once.”

Cisco threw a fist in the air with a ‘yes!’ and slid off his lap.

Shortly after, they ended up in Harry’s bed. The lights were out and they were both in sweatpants and t-shirts. Harry had messaged Caitlin to tell her he was going to rest so no one would disturb them. She messaged back to tell him to stop being an idiot and rest more often. (He ignored that entirely.)

Cisco was scooted right up to him, an arm around Harry’s waist, eyes growing heavy as he watched Harry. He ran his fingers easily through Cisco’s hair, the soft waves spreading with each stroke. “So… how does this work?” Ramon asked, his voice barely breaching the quiet.

“A lot like sleeping does, to begin with anyway. I let myself relax and shut off my senses, let the Void in.”

“Yeah, there’s no Void in sleeping, dude.” Cisco smiled tiredly. Harry smoothed his hand down to hold on to his waist, mimicking what Ramon was doing to him.

“I wouldn’t know. It’s been awhile.” Harry joked. “In all seriousness, I want you to promise me… if it’s too much to handle, you’ll leave. You won’t hurt my feelings by doing so.” Cisco seemed to give it real thought. Then he took Harry’s mouth with his own. The kiss was long and could have easily taken a turn to be as passionate as the one they’d share on the couch, but then Cisco pulled away warmly and completely relaxed in Harry’s hold.

“Not going anywhere.”

Harry let out a slow breath, eyes locked on the man before him. “If I could dream, Cisco Ramon… I’d dream of you.” He could sense Cisco’s sheer joy at his words, and he was treated with one more soothing kiss before he closed his eyes on the world.

He shut his senses down. 

Silence surrounded him. 

He couldn’t even hear Cisco’s heartbeat or breathing. He felt his body begin to grow heavy, felt his joints tense up, felt a numbness creep into his mind. He had never been able to feel the Void move in. He never knew the exact moment it happened. He had no way of telling Cisco what it would look like. All he knew for sure was that he would look, feel and pretty much be deader than dead until his Source restored him and the Void bled away. And he knew it wouldn’t be a pleasant thing to witness.

Just before the last of his consciousness left him, however, he had a brief moment of clarity. A striking and precise thought… there was no one he’d want to share this, or anything else with, other than the man in his arms…

* * *

Watching Harry ‘die’ like that was sobering. 

His whole body went quiet, still in a way that very clearly made Cisco think he was in no way sleeping. His skin had gone a mottled gray in mere moments and got even colder than what Cisco had come to think of as normal for Harry. Even rigor seemed to set in, Harry’s body stiffening. Cisco had brought his hand up to Harry’s face, settled his palm against the far-too-quiet man’s cheek. And he squeezed his own eyes shut, repeating over and over again in his head, _‘Harry’s not really gone.’_ It was the mantra he eventually fell asleep to.

Cisco woke up first, close to ten in the morning. Harry was still out and his body hadn’t moved an inch. But his skin looked less gray. Cisco wondered if that meant he’d be among the living again soon. And he might’ve waited, if he hadn’t needed to pee so bad. Apparently sleeping for twelve hours straight wasn’t good for his bladder. So he extricated himself from Harry and the far too comfortable bed, using the conjoined bathroom to take care of business. 

Afterward, he stopped by the bed. “Come back soon.” He whispered, running his fingers through Harry’s hair. Then he bent over and placed a kiss to Harry’s still very cold forehead. 

Cisco knew it was too soon to say, knew that he hadn’t known Harry long enough to even think it, but he was pretty damn sure he was hopelessly in love with the vampire. It was probably why seeing Harry like this didn’t freak him out like it might have anyone else. Being soulmates probably helped with that, too. Something of which he was still trying to figure out. They both were, actually. Talking with Caitlin, albeit briefly, had confirmed what Harry had said, including the fact that it shouldn’t have been possible. 

According to her, it only happened to humans. Mortals. Harry was literally the exact opposite. She said she’d started doing some research before Joe died and promised to do more. But Cisco wasn’t in a rush. They’d get answers eventually. Right now, he just wanted to focus on making sure Iris was alright, and that Harry and he had the proper time and space to really get to know one another more.

After one more moment of watching Harry ‘rest’, Cisco left the room, quietly closing the door behind him. Not that Harry would be disturbed in the least, but it seemed right to at least try to be respectful. Only the whole plan of being quiet went out the window when the door clicked in place and he turned to see Barry, Iris, Jesse and Caitlin all standing there staring at him. The rather undignified yelp that escaped his throat and had his hands flying up made everyone look far too amused.

“Holystirfry!” He blurted, letting his hands fall into fists at his sides as he heaved a breath. “I’m getting all of you bells! Damn!”

Barry chuckled at him, but Iris crossed her arms and elbowed Barry in the ribs. Very quickly, Cisco had the feeling he’d done something seriously wrong. “When were you going to tell us?” Iris demanded. And instantly, Cisco grimaced. 

“Tell you… what?” He asked quietly.

“That you and Dad finally got together.” Jesse remarked. And Cisco’s eyes went wide.

“We… I… wait a minute,” he pointed at Jesse but she shook her head.

“We’re all geniuses, remember?” Caitlin said with far too much humor on her features, “We figured it out.”

“To be fair, it didn’t occur to me till this morning when Caitlin said you were in there.” Iris motioned to Harry’s door. “Why didn’t you two say anything?” She moved toward him and Cisco let out a steady breath, weighing his words. He seriously wished Harry was awake for this.

“Honestly, nothing happened between us... till the day Joe died.” His words made her expression soften. “Harry and I… we didn’t want to pursue anything until we were sure that you’re okay.” He motioned behind him with one thumb. “We were just sleeping.” He added, not sure why it was important. But it seemed like it was. 

“Dammit, you’re both morons.” Iris stated very firmly, and then she hugged him. Just like that. Cisco froze for a breath, then lifted his hands to her back. “You never should have felt like you had to hide this from us, just to protect me.” She said, then pulled away, holding his shoulders. “I know I lost my Dad. I know you two thought you were looking out for me… but don’t you think your happiness means something to me?” She motioned to everyone else, turning slightly sideways. “To all of us?”

“Iris… it didn’t feel right, to be happy when things were so hard for you.” He watched a change come over her features, her expression one he had never seen on her before. “I know how hard it is, to lose your parents. It’s like losing a piece of yourself. And when you see other people still living their lives, still smiling and being cheerful… it makes it hurt even more.” He shook his head a little. “I didn’t want to do that to you. And Harry… he just wanted to take care of you.” Tears began to well up in Iris’ eyes. She’d cried so much since Joe passed. But she didn’t give Cisco any chance to keep talking, because she brought both hands up to his face and smiled.

“I love you both so much. I’d never make it through this without you. So don’t for one second think that your happiness would ever make me sad.” She was so intense, her words so precise, Cisco had no argument left to give. He nodded at her, offering the warmest smile he could muster, and she stepped back, hooking her hand into Barry’s arm.

“Now that we know you two are shacking up, we are so using this to our advantage.” Barry said, making Jesse giggle. “Starting right now.”

Cisco stared at the group, eyes roaming from person to person. “Wait, what? We’re not shacking up.”

“Oh, but you will be.” Caitlin wiggled her brows.

“You’re all twelve-year-olds.” Cisco stated, then moved to head down the hallway. 

“True.” Iris said from behind him, the group following him into the kitchen. He had smelled coffee even from the end of the hall, and he was beginning to think he really needed some. “But we’re still going to hold this over your head for at least a day.”

“How quickly you go from being happy for us to blackmail.” Cisco groused, grabbing a coffee mug. But he had to admit, he was honestly pretty happy that they were all okay with him and Harry being... well, whatever they were at the moment.

“We are all going on vacation.” Jesse stopped right beside him, leaning against the counter and crossing her arms. Cisco’s hand paused on the coffee pot, his eyes moving to stare at her. 

“Like… at the same time?” He asked. Jesse nodded, a bright smile spreading on her lips. “Giiiirl,” he turned completely, hand still on the pot handle. “He is never going to agree to the whole senior staff hightailing it.”

“That’s why you are going to convince him. Because you two are coming with us.” Iris hopped up onto the breakfast counter to sit, Caitlin joined her.

“We are?” Yeah, he was not awake enough for this.

“Absolutely. It’s going to be a family vacation. We’re all family, so…” she nodded in his direction. “My Dad never went to Niagara Falls. He always wanted to go, talked about it at least once or twice a year. We’re going for him.” She seemed so determined about the idea that Cisco just let himself relax backward against the counter beside Jesse, completely forgetting the coffee.

“If we’re all gone, who’s going to run the labs?” Sure, he could have acknowledged so many other things. But if he was going to convince Harry (which, shit, he was totally considering doing), then he had to be able to assure the man that everything would be okay without them there.

“Professor Stein is on his way. I called him yesterday.” Jesse said as she turned. She grabbed a clean mug and began pouring coffee into it.

“Wait, _Professor Martin Stein_?” Cisco stood straighter, smiling. “The physicist who pioneered transmutation as we know it?!” Okay, so he was a little excited. Stein was one of the smartest scientists Cisco had ever heard of. 

“Down, fanboy.” Jesse chuckled, handing him the coffee she’d poured. “He’s worked for us for years. He runs the Chicago labs.”

“I knew that. I totally knew that, but I never thought I’d actually get to meet him!” He was grinning, couldn’t help it. Jesse reached forward and lifted his hand and the cup in it up toward his mouth.

“Shhh, drink your morning happiness.” She cooed. Barry laughed.

“We have everything set. Martin’s agreed to handle everything for two weeks. Iris rescheduled the press conference, and everyone else in the labs has been allowed to extend their projects.” Caitlin explained.

“Right, and I’ve booked the hotel and bought the plane tickets. We leave tomorrow morning at six, if you can convince Dad not to have an aneurism.” Cisco had chugged most of his coffee while he listened, lowering the cup when Jesse finished talking.

“And how exactly am I supposed to do that?” He asked, raising a brow.

“Easy.” Barry said, putting a hand on Iris’ knee. “Sex.” Cisco choked on air. “What? It works for Iris all the time.”

“He’s right.” She put her hand over Barry’s with a very visible grin. 

“Okay, woah, slow right down with… we haven’t… you all…all of you are awful!” Cisco was sure his cheeks were bright red. Everyone laughed lightly. “And I can’t believe you’re okay listening to this.” He motioned at Jesse. She shrugged. 

“I have been trying to get Dad to have a relationship for years. This is fun for me.” She just winked at him and moved to grab a cup for herself. 

“Look, we’re all going to talk to him together. It’ll just be easier if you were there.” Caitlin was smiling still, she motioned to him. “No flirting necessary.” Slowly, he smiled and raised his cup again.

“I don’t need to flirt. I’ll seduce him with my awkwardness.” He quipped. Jesse giggled so hard, she actually snorted.

It was four more hours before Harry, showered and fully dressed in his usual blacks, came out of his room looking far better than he had before they’d laid down. Apparently, pushing himself so long without resting had really taken it out of him. Cisco made sure to make note of that for future reference. If he could help it, he’d make sure Harry rested as often as possible.

The first thing Harry did with his renewed energy was tug Cisco into the hallway where no one was, pushing him steadily against a wall and kissing him so longingly that Cisco instantly felt his insides get tight and hot. To think Harry wanted him so much was one thing, but to feel it was a whole other sensation. Harry left him breathless, his heart tap dancing in his rib cage as the vampire pulled away, a smug smile on his handsome as hell face and no words spoken. Cisco was so hot and bothered, he had to wait nearly five minutes before he could follow.

He found everyone sitting around the dining room table where he’d left them. They’d eaten tacos for lunch. And no one seemed in a hurry to remove themselves from their gathering. Harry had joined them, sitting with his arms crossed over his chest and relaxed into his chair. Cisco sat to his right, hoping he didn’t look as flushed as he still felt. 

“All of you decided this.” Harry’s tone was hard, in that way he had when he was readying himself to either yell or firmly tell someone off. Cisco’s brows went up, looking at the taller man’s face. Had the others already told him? “Did you take into consideration the labs?” He demanded, jaw clenching for a brief second. “Did you think about all the projects we have in the works?” Harry uncrossed his arms and flattened his hands to the tabletop. “We can’t just pick up and leave. Maybe two of you at a time. But not all at once. It isn’t logistically possible.”

“Yes, it is. It totally is.” Jesse piped up, catching Harry’s hard gaze. “Professor Stein is coming to hold down the fort and we’ve already spoken to all the department heads.”

“Martin. You called Martin.” Harry grated out. “Dammit, Jesse.” He stood up, then, pushing his chair away without looking and pacing with his hands on his hips, stopping right before the piano. “You all should have spoken to me first.” He turned to look at them.

“Harry, you’ve given us a certain amount of responsibility. We’re more than capable of handling what comes along. As well as deciding something like this, as a team.” Barry spoke up, his expression firm. 

“He’s right.” Iris backed him up.

“Oh he is, is he.” Harry dropped his hands. “So you decided this as a team. All of you?” He looked straight at Cisco, then. His too beautiful eyes were alit with agitation and it made Cisco swallow.

“To be fair, I didn’t plan it. But I think it’s an amazing idea.” He motioned to Harry. “I looked into it, Harry. You haven’t had a vacation the entire time S.T.A.R. Labs has existed. I know you love work, but seriously?” He stood up, moving around the table toward him. “And Iris needs this. Everyone needs this, including you.” He stopped right before him, crossing his arms over his chest. “I get it, man. I understand why you’re mad, but you’ve got to see the benefits of this.”

A long, quiet moment went by before Harry tore his eyes away from Cisco’s stare. He looked out at everyone at the table, “I’m not mad.” He finally said. He took in a deep breath. “In the future, I want you all to talk to me before you make these sorts of decisions. West, you could have come to me.”

“I know that, of course.” Iris said softly. “Harry, the reason we didn’t tell you is because you never would have agreed to go with us. We figured if we crossed all the T’s and dotted the I’s, you’d have no choice but to give in. And... you have to admit, you have a hard time getting out of your own way most of the time.” She cracked a small smile, Harry raised a brow and crossed his arms again.

“I do not.” He countered. 

“Oh yeah? When were you going to tell us you and Cisco are a thing?” Jesse demanded, sounding a lot like Harry when he had no patience for excuses. His eyes shot to Cisco.

“Don’t look at me. They figured it out on their own.” He smiled, didn’t even try to hide it. Harry’s eyes softened considerably. 

“Every single one of you,” He reached for Cisco, grabbing him by a shoulder and tugging him into a hug, “Are a royal pain in my ass.” Cisco leaned into him without question. Harry wrapped his arms completely around him. “You most of all.” He half-whispered to him. Cisco let the happiness consume him.

“So, Cisco,” Barry wiggled his brows, “Kissing a vampire. What’s that like?”

“Oooh, child is gonna die today…” Iris said, scooting her chair away from Barry. Cisco flattened his face into Harry’s shoulder, stifling the urge to laugh as Harry tensed.

“Stay calm, Harry.” Cisco mumbled, trying so hard not to let his laughter out.

“I was calm. Now I’m going to throw this entire piano at him.” He moved as if to reach for the instrument, but Cisco grabbed onto him with both hands. The women all laughed as Barry stood up and put himself behind Iris.

“Don’t hide behind me! I’m not gonna protect you, boy!” She blurted, holding onto her chair as he scooted it more sideways and crouched behind it.

“You’re my wife! You’re supposed to be on my side!” He exclaimed, hidden entirely from view. 

“You asked for this.” Caitlin said, relaxing in her chair and grinning.

“If Harry murders me, just know I talked shit about you all the whole time.” Barry peered over Iris’ shoulder. Harry narrowed his gaze sharply, then sighed as Cisco turned to look at everyone. He pulled him back into his chest, Cisco smiling as Harry looped his arms around him.

“I would expect nothing less from you, Allen.” He said, then nuzzled Cisco’s hair, breathing in quietly.

“Aw, you guys are so cute!” Jesse said, clasping her hands together.

“I think she’s happier about your relationship than you two are.” Caitlin remarked, nudging Jesse.

“I highly doubt that.” Harry responded. And he sounded… at ease. 

The rest of the day went like that. 

At one point, Barry insisted on taking Cisco shopping for clothes that weren’t old and worn out. Honestly, he wasn’t sure why he’d put it off. His job at S.T.A.R. Labs paid him more than enough now. He was just so used to not spending money on anything but bills and food that it never occurred to him he actually could without consequence now. He bought new jeans, t-shirts, button-ups, sneakers, a few other odds and ends. It felt strange, like he really shouldn’t be splurging so much. But it also felt good to throw out shirts he’d stitched up a hundred times, to throw out holy jeans and wear shoes that he hadn’t super-glued twice. 

That night they all packed for their impromptu vacation. That was when he really began feeling out of sorts about it all. He hadn’t had a vacation in seven years. But it was more than that. He felt like it was too soon. Like the people who worked under him and everyone else at the labs would think he was something like a teacher’s pet. But Jesse assured him that no one would hold it against him. He knew she was right. All the people here were good people.

After dinner, which Harry cooked (the man had a serious talent with food), they all went to their separate rooms to make sure they were set for the morning and to sleep so they could get up early for their flight. He was sitting on the edge of his bed, staring at his packed suitcase (which Ampere had made a bed out of) and mentally going through a checklist. Was he bringing too much? Not enough? It wasn’t like he had any experience with this stuff. 

“Whatever it is you’re worrying about, stop.” Harry’s voice made him blink and look to his left. He was standing in the doorway, his hands in his pockets, leaning against the doorframe. 

“How do you do that?” Cisco demanded, looking back at his suitcase and relaxing back on his elbows with a sigh.

“Do what?” Harry asked, moving further into the room, closing the door behind him. 

“Read me like a book.” Cisco let his eyes drift back to the taller man. Harry had a very calm air about him. He stopped just before the bed, staring down at Cisco with an unreadable expression. 

“I don’t, actually.” He admitted, “You’re equal parts known to me and a complete mystery.” Cisco grinned at that.

“I like that. Cisco Ramon, Man of Mystery.” He intoned, then chuckled. “You’re way more mysterious than I am. By any stretch of the imagination.”

“Hm.” Harry moved then, slowly invading Cisco’s space, legs to either side of his, knees in the mattress as he hovered over him. “Not lately. Lately… I’m far more readable than you.” Cisco felt his cheeks instantly flush, watching as Harry’s eyes roamed down the length of his body, and easing back up in a wholly prurient way till they landed back on Cisco’s wide-eyes.

“H-how so?” He managed, his voice cracking against his will.

“You tell me…” Harry whispered, then found Cisco’s mouth without pretense. The effect was Cisco relaxing entirely into the mattress. The kiss was probably the most passionate, longing thing Cisco had ever experienced. There was no misconception. He could completely read between the lines here. He knew exactly what Harry was thinking, wanting, needing. Because he was thinking and wanting and needing it, too. 

Without warning, Harry pulled away only to grab Cisco under the arms and scoot him fully up onto the bed, till his whole body was flat on the mattress, and Harry’s body was pressing into his. Harry stared down at him, hands to either side of Cisco’s head, holding himself somewhat aloft. “I don’t want to put this off anymore, Ramon.” Harry’s far too sexy tone made Cisco’s heart speed up instantly. “I want you. All of you.” Harry lowered his mouth to him, hovering just out of reach. “Please… please let me have you.” Not once had anyone ever talked to Cisco like that. As though he had all the control, all the power. And as though he was the most glorious being in the vastness of the universe. The pure lust and need and affection all swimming in Harry’s eyes threw any hesitations that may have been there completely out the window. 

“Harry…” he found himself whispering, feeling that energy between them pulsing at the thought of feeling this man, skin to skin. Of Harry touching every inch of him. Of Harry using him up. “Yes, _god_ yes.” He sighed out. Enough was enough. He was done waiting, too. Their mouths collided, warm and cool, Cisco’s hands growing minds of their own and grabbing onto Harry’s shirt in almost a fevered rush. It was like he couldn’t get to Harry’s skin fast enough. Before either one of them knew it, Cisco had pulled that damn inconvenient piece of cloth over Harry’s had and tossed it away. It gave him a perfect view of Harry’s torso. Lean, strong muscles in his stomach, his chest, his arms. Cisco could almost see the power within each one, and it sent a chill of excitement through him.

Because he knew what Harrison Wells was. Knew exactly how much damage this man could do to a person if he wanted to. And it was pretty clear Harry had every intention of ruining him, just in a much different way. If Harry’s love and affection and god-like body was what ended him, he’d die a happy man.

Harry stayed hovered above him, watching him every second as Cisco trailed his fingers down Harry’s chest, to his stomach, tracing the lines of his flesh. And Cisco was staring right back. It was the most intense thing, to be looked at with such reverence, with such want. 

“Ramon… I’m going to take my time with you.” Harry whispered, “I hope you don’t mind being tired tomorrow.” 

_Fuuuuuck._ The promise in those words would have been more than enough to make Cisco hard and needy if he wasn’t already there. Because he knew Harry well enough to know he was a damn patient man when he wanted to be. 

And by the look in his vampire’s eyes, Cisco was certain Harry was going to hold very true to his word…


	8. "I will gladly take responsibility."

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Harry and Cisco spend the night together before the team heads out on vacation.
> 
> (Warning: Sexual scenarios.)

When Harry said he was going to take his time, he’d meant it.

He’d waited so long, held back from this singular pleasure to keep fits of hunger at bay for so many years. But then Cisco Ramon appeared, feeding him things like laughter and wit and touches in passing. And all that control Harry had worked so hard on dissipated without his permission. Not that he was complaining in the least. Because there was nothing about the man laying on that bed that Harry didn’t want. And all his hunger, all his burning lust and need felt different now. It was less consuming, more fulfilling as the days had gone on.

And now that they were here, in the quiet of Ramon’s room, all he wanted was to fulfill _Cisco’s_ hunger. It was all around him, a thing with a pulse all its own, permeating the air, rippling beneath Ramon’s skin like electricity.

Harry had stripped the man methodically, each piece of clothing removed to reveal skin to be tasted, flesh to be examined, freckles and scars to be memorized. And Cisco laid there, heart finding a heavy rhythm, his breathing steadying as he focused more and more on what Harry was doing to him. There was a shyness there, too. He could see it in the flush on Ramon’s cheeks, in the way his fingers trembled along Harry’s skin. It was like the man didn’t know how beautiful he was to Harry. So, Harry took it upon himself to show him, by paying glorious attention to every part of him. 

Harry wanted no sense of time. 

He wanted the night to crawl on without the minutes weighing on them. What was about to happen here was no small thing, for either one of them. They each, in their own way, had been denied this kind of love. Their circumstances, their choices, had all stolen passion from them, passion for another person. And time had become a painful reminder of all they’d chosen to give up. Until now. Now, Harry gave no more power to time, other than the urge for it to linger.

Ramon was perfection, laying there, breathing need like it was air.

His soft pants and urging hands made Harry eventually close his eyes, letting his senses drown in all that Cisco had to give. He suckled on Ramon’s flesh, tasting the life there, the warmth, making a trail down to the man’s chest, treating a nipple to tender attention. 

“Harry…” Cisco whispered, hands curling into his hair as he let his mouth move to the next nipple, to taste, to pull just enough. It may have been an absurdly long time since he’d had sex, but it was almost instinctual to Harry to know how far he could push things. “Your teeth, _damn_ , your teeth…” Ramon was mumbling, his words almost drawling. Harry lifted his head, lining himself up against Cisco’s side, smoothing a hand down Ramon’s stomach, lower, fingers brushing the tip of the stripped man’s hardness, making Cisco suck a breath in quickly. Harry had yet to fully touch him there. 

They locked eyes, and Harry smiled, unable to help the deep pride he felt in making Cisco feel so lustful. “What about my teeth?” He asked calmly. Ramon blinked at him and let out a heavy breath. 

“Keep using them.” Cisco demanded. He sounded so sure, it surprised Harry. And that surprise must have shown on his face because Cisco reached up and ran his thumb over Harry’s lips. “I want to feel them. I trust you, Harry.” It was something Cisco had said before, that he trusted him. But in this context, it made Harry’s breath cease to exist. 

“I could start fires with what I feel for you…” He whispered, turning his face into Cisco’s palm, kissing the skin there. He brought his hand up to hold Ramon’s arm, trailing kisses down the wrist, nipping at the skin there lightly. Cisco closed his eyes, like feeling Harry touch him in any way was intoxicating, a far-too delicious drug. He followed a trail down to Cisco’s shoulder, lining their bodies back up, moving Ramon’s head to the side to whisper more in his ear, “I promise you, I won’t stop till your legs are shaking and you forget having ever known anything else.” There was a grated quality to his voice, a possessiveness to his words that he’d warned Ramon about before. Because this… _this_ was how you made Harrison Wells an addict. Ramon had offered him a sort of power that no one ever gave. One he never asked for. 

Cisco moaned out loud when Harry began to tease the flesh at his throat. He bucked his hips up into Harry’s still jean-clad groin, naturally searching for friction as Harry scraped his teeth along the vein there. The sounds that Cisco made were a mix of want and urgency. Harry wondered… how far would this man let him go? But he didn’t ask. He wasn’t about to sink his fangs in, as much as the idea sent a thrill completely through him. How glorious it would have been to take Cisco in literally every way a vampire could. He moaned at his own musings, moving his own hips into Cisco. 

“Take these off, _off now_.” Cisco panted, tugging at Harry’s jeans roughly. Harry growled at the encouragement, a completely inhuman sound that rumbled through his chest and into Cisco’s. “God, _fucking god_ , you’re…” Cisco mumbled, reaching up and pulling Harry’s head away from his throat. And then he just kissed him. His tongue was insatiable, making Harry smile against his lips because this was a side of Ramon he never could have predicted. Cisco began to push at him, forcing him to sit up, but not unlocking their mouths. He scraped his nails down Harry’s chest, thumbed at Harry’s stomach and sides, rose them both up on their knees, and began to unbutton and unzip Harry’s jeans.

Only when it was open did Cisco pull away, maneuvering with heavy breathing and pushing Harry flat down onto his back with a bounce. He could have easily fought it. But, well… this was a certainly interesting development. Harry found himself perching on his elbows, watching as Cisco crawled over him, feeling a shudder of his own as Ramon began to inch by inch drag his pants off. He had no underwear on. Absolutely hated wearing it. And it seemed to be a pleasant surprise for Cisco because he licked his lips in one, slow, wet line. 

“How is every inch of you so glorious?” Cisco asked in gentle wonderment once Harry was completely nude before him. Ramon began to crawl into him again, slowly, gracefully, like he had never seen Cisco move. Ramon’s eyes were pupil-blown and filled with a heavy passion. It made Harry’s lips twitch, made him want to bare his fangs momentarily, because _fuck_ he wanted to see that look all the damn time. Cisco breathed hot breath onto Harry’s fully erect dick the moment he reached it, a hand coming up to wrap around it. “Even this feels cool to the touch,” he was thinking out loud, as though he wanted Harry to know exactly what was in his head. Ramon’s eyes rolled up and closed, a shiver flowing up his spine visibly, as though he were imagining things that felt far too good. Then he lowered his mouth over the head of Harry’s dick without warning. It left Harry growling at the sudden heat, the wetness, making him fall completely on his back and squeeze his eyes shut.

Cisco took his time with this. And he was good at it. _Damn_ , was he good. The man was continuously surprising in more ways than one. But so was Harry. His hard-fought ability to control himself and his surroundings worked well in this situation, because he was certain that any other man under the rule of Ramon’s delightful mouth would have never been able to stop themselves from completely coming apart. Harry wanted more time than that. And Cisco seemed to pick up on it, because he pulled his tantalizing lips away, eyes finding Harry’s again. He began to litter kisses up Harry’s groin, his abdomen, his chest, till their lips connected and Harry wrapped him firmly in his arms. Cisco slid his dick alongside Harry’s in easy movements. And for a few minutes, they settled into a comfortable high.

Eventually, he rolled Ramon back over, pressed his body into the bed, let himself revel in the feel of him underneath his own form. Ramon let his hands roam along Harry’s body, smoothing up and down his back, curving around Harry’s rear. Harry broke the kiss, lifting a hand to smooth Cisco’s hair completely away from his face. “Tell me what you want, Ramon…” he whispered. For some reason, it seemed right not to be the one to break the quiet. Cisco let his eyes dance back and forth the between his own, hands constantly moving, the warmth of his fingers and palms so wonderful against Harry’s cool flesh.

“I have a question first.” He said softly, his expression calm, his eyes focused. Harry nodded a little, watching him. “What does it feel like?” Cisco’s eyes moved to Harry’s mouth and back. “To be bitten?”

 _Fuck_.

Harry swallowed hard and furrowed his brows, rising a little to see Ramon better. “Why would you want to know that?” He was positive his voice sounded unsure, confused. Understandably so. Ramon didn’t look perturbed in the least.

“I want to know.” He stated. Just like that. Harry breathed heavily, letting the air out slowly, clenching his jaw momentarily.

“I don’t remember. The moment for me was… fleeting.” He admitted, and shifted his body to the side, still skin to skin, but giving him a complete view of Ramon’s glorious form. “But I have been told the feeling depends on the situation.”

“What about this situation?” Cisco seemed to be judging something, weighing thoughts. “How would it feel now?”

“Ramon…” he breathed out, “Why would you…” he didn’t finish the question because Cisco brought a hand up to grip Harry’s ribs, turning slightly into him, all but challenging him to answer honestly. “It’s pure ecstasy.” He managed. “It heightens everything, brings your energy, your hunger to the surface. It can become so intense, so exhilarating that you lose control of yourself.” It wasn’t that Harry knew this from experience. But being a vampire meant he had the sort of ‘genetic’ knowledge that went with his existence. “But if I did that to you… you have to know it wouldn’t be the only reason I do it.” His tone grew slightly firm, a darkness edging into his voice that Cisco picked up on instantly. Ramon’s lips parted momentarily, and he nodded. 

“Why, then? Because I know why I want it.” He responded. Harry raised a brow. “I want to know that part of you. I want to feel what it means to really be with you.” _God_ , why did this man have to be so fucking perfect?! Harry closed his eyes a moment, concentrated on breathing, on the feel of Cisco’s skin against his.

“I would do it to make you mine.” He said pointedly, letting his eyes open to see Ramon’s reaction. He brought his hand to Cisco’s throat, fingers trailing his Adam’s apple, to his suddenly jumping pulse. “I’d mark you with my power. To let the world know you belonged to me. Me and no one else.” That’s what he wanted. More than anything. More than the sex. (Though that was definitely a plus.) He wanted to love this man forever. And he wanted everyone and everything to know that Ramon was only his. This was the possessive part of him, the monstrous part. The part that was all vampire. The part that he was laying out bare for Cisco to see. And what Cisco saw?

“Yours.” He whispered, thoughts swirling in his chocolate gaze. “Don’t you see, Harry? Don’t you get it?” He let out a heavy breath, his dark eyes growing stern. “I’ve always been yours. So, do it.” He raised his head up, mouth barely a breath away. “Take what you want.” He urged, then searched Harry’s mouth like it was the first and last time all at once. 

A fever flourished in Harry’s dead veins, then. 

The energy that bonded them expanded. And Harry knew, without a doubt, he belonged to Cisco Ramon. The realization was everything. Because not once, in his entire life, had he ever truly wanted to be ‘owned’ by anyone. In this, however, he was captured before he even knew he was being chased. It only helped to affirm what Harry had figured out early on. Ramon was perfection.

They spent the next several minutes chasing a new sort of high, gained by familiar pleasures in the hands of sudden revelations. They teased, they touched, and Harry kept good to his word about making Cisco a trembling mess. There wasn’t an inch of that man that Harry didn’t take the time to discover. They only pulled apart long enough to find lube. And even that short moment was too long, because they were quickly back to kissing each other. 

But soon, Harry had Cisco flat on his back, his legs spread and knees bent, feet flat into the mattress, his hands curled into the covers. There was so much anticipation on his face, his eyes sparkling with affection as he watched Harry. Even in this, Harry planned to take his time. But mostly because it had been so long since either of them had been with anyone. He could do so many glorious and dark things to Ramon. But hurting him would never be one of them. 

Harry used one hand to examine Cisco’s perineum, massaging it, rolling Cisco’s balls in his other hand. He took in the sight of Ramon’s stomach twitching with each stroke, of his groin tightening at the feel of someone else touching him in a way he hadn’t been touched in years. 

It delighted Harry to no end that this was something Ramon was gifting to him, and only him. To say he was more than a little honored by the prospect was an understatement. And to prove it, he lowered his mouth down to Cisco’s shaft. He licked the warm skin there, stroking the length of him with his tongue in slow, wet lines. Then took him into his mouth, the salty taste of precum sliding along his taste buds. He was incredibly careful with this. Even though Cisco had told him to use his teeth at will, he knew damn well the canines would be too sharp for Ramon’s delicate cock. 

Cisco’s breathing sped up, his eyes closing, his head going back as he gripped the blankets even harder. He let out soft panting sounds, his throat exposed for Harry to appreciate. Harry didn’t consider himself an expert in this particular act. But he made up for it with proper attention, by studying the ways that Cisco writhed and breathed. When he was sure that Cisco wouldn’t be able to handle much more stimulation, he pulled off, he licked the tip of him, he rose up. Cisco blinked heavily at him, wonder warming his face. And Harry smiled. “You’re beyond beautiful.” He said to the trembling man, knowing full well the words might sound silly. But Ramon’s accompanying breath and delicate smile was rewarding. It seemed Cisco knew he genuinely meant the compliment. 

Harry picked up the bottle of lube, popping the cap open as Cisco relaxed his hands. The two men stared at each other in a strange battle of wills. The intensity of it, the fondness and warmth seemed to flow between them. And Harry slicked his fingers up, setting the bottle aside as he slid those fingers down to Cisco’s hole. The effect on the shorter man was instant. His breath caught, his hands moved, his eyes widened. And Harry kept watching him as he massaged Ramon’s hole with tender care. 

He already knew Cisco would be tight. There was no way he wouldn’t be. Seven years without sex? It would have been a miracle if he wasn’t. 

So, he took his time, massaging, lulling Cisco, proving his trust in Harry wasn’t unwarranted. Then delicately he began to push one finger in. “ _Oh, fuck_ …” Cisco panted hard, closing his eyes again. Harry moved that finger in and out in slow succession, waiting for Cisco to ease up, to loosen the tension. He could feel his own groin twitch at how warm he was around his finger, how tight. If he was this sultry on one finger, he could only imagine how he’d feel taking his cock in. 

And imagine he did. 

When Cisco was relaxed enough, he slipped another finger in. Just as smooth, just as slow as he’d done the first. But the anticipation of taking Cisco with his dick made his jaw clench, made him grit his teeth. Cisco moaned lightly once both fingers were all the way in, tightening around his digits. And he waited, paused, let Ramon breathe. It wasn’t till Cisco looked back at him that he began to move his fingers in and out repeatedly. He refused to count the minutes as he worked at scissoring him wider. As much as he wanted to feel himself inside of Cisco, he did not want to rush this. It had to feel good for both of them, or there simply was no point. “I’m ready, Harry… please, please, I’m ready…” Cisco began to whine, his hands coming up to his own hair, curling into the long strands as he watched Harry, his eyes begging.

And Harry smiled. 

It was a smile that made Cisco shiver from head to toe. 

A smile that was all hunger. 

He lubed himself up, sliding some more onto Cisco’s hole, and then moved up Ramon’s form, settling their bodies together. He slid the tip of himself against Cisco’s hole, teasing, pressing lightly. Cisco gasped, “I want you in me. God, I want you so bad, it’s all I can think about…” he whispered, hands coming up to Harry’s ribs, Cisco’s fingers digging in. “I want to _feel_ you…” He pressed his mouth to Harry’s quickly, pulling back a breath later, “I have to tell you… you need to know…” There was something full in Cisco’s eyes, something that made them glisten brightly, wondrously. “I know it’s soon. But I love you, Harry. I love you so goddamn much.” He breathed out. 

And those words… Harry felt his undead heart soar. He couldn’t help the sound that came out of his mouth. It was something close to a sob, which surprised him. He slipped both his hands into Ramon’s hair, closed his eyes, kissed Ramon with everything he was, everything he had because… “I love you, too.” Harry whispered after their mouths separated. “I loved you the moment I first saw you.” He kissed him again, “I love you more than I can ever find a way to tell you…” But he could show him. And the same time their mouths reconnected was the same time Harry began to push inside of Ramon.

Cisco moaned instantly, breaking the kiss, head going back. His hands got so tight around Harry, his legs developing a fine tremble. But Harry didn’t stop. Inch by wonderful inch, bit by hot-tight bit, Harry pushed. But not hard, not rough. He was as gentle about this as he could possibly be, till he was sheathed completely within Cisco. Both men breathed heavily, as though their bodies were running marathons. “So much…” Cisco panted, eyes closed comfortably but his body beginning to sweat. Harry waited, pressed his forehead to Ramon’s shoulder, held himself completely still.

“God, Ramon… you’re so tight… so warm.” He whispered along his collarbone. Cisco’s body relaxed in increments, his hands moving to slide up Harry’s spine. 

“Move, Harry… please, move. Move, now…” Cisco urged, his hips shifting with the sentiment, causing sensation for them both. 

Harry was a very intelligent man. He didn’t need any further permission. 

He rose up, his hands in the mattress, hovering above Cisco, and began to move. Out, in. Slow and easy. The walls of Ramon’s insides squeezed around him, nearly burning, so fucking wonderful. And Cisco seemed to lose complete control of his own sounds. He panted when Harry slid out, moaned when he pushed back in. It was a song Harry loved to hear. And together, with Cisco’s encouragement and his own strength, they found a rhythm. Never in his life had he felt anything as wonderful as this. Never had he become so addicted to anything so quickly. Their combined energy became an entity of its own, increasing their mutual pleasure, urging them both to find sensations they wanted, needed. 

Time went on without them. 

As far as Harry was concerned, there was no one else alive beyond that bed.

They shifted positions a few times, experimented with how flexible Cisco could be, which was a wonderful fucking amount. They dragged out their pleasure as long as possible, till Harry could sense a change in the feel of Ramon’s heat. He pressed him back into the mattress, continuing the thrusting that Ramon had seemed to tune in to. The look in his eyes must have told Cisco something, must have revealed what he was thinking. Because Cisco wrapped his legs around him, brought his hands up to Harry’s shoulders. “Do it, Harry…” he whispered, swallowing. “I want you to.” 

Harry shuddered a breath before kissing Ramon longingly, deeply. Then trailed his lips down Cisco’s jaw, the man turning his head to give Harry access to something more precious than normal humans realized. 

The pulse that jumped there, the blood beneath… it called to Harry in a way that was normally unwanted. But Cisco had asked him to do this, had given him permission to take him like this… to mark him. To make him Harry’s. He kissed the skin there, tasted the salt, felt and heard Cisco’s heart begin to race. “You are mine, Cisco Ramon. And I am yours…” he whispered. Ramon let out a shaken breath, his hands tightening. 

Harry’s fangs bared, and then sunk in...

There was an explosion of power as Cisco cried out. But it wasn’t a cry of pain that left his throat. When Harry had told Ramon he’d feel ecstasy, he wasn’t joking. What Harry hadn’t counted on was that ecstasy bleeding through their combined energy and back into himself. He sealed his mouth around Ramon’s throat, growling hungrily, thrusting his dick a little more firmly, a little harder. There was so much feeling, so much pleasure that it drove him on. 

One would think he’d drink from Ramon while doing this, but that wasn’t what marking was about. 

Yes, he tasted the copper in his veins, the elements that made up human blood. It was impossible not to with his teeth stabbing into Cisco’s throat like that. But he wasn’t doing this to feed. He had never done this before, marked someone during sex. The sort of marking he was familiar with was far more passive, far less intimate. It didn’t mean he didn’t instinctively know how to do this. And he forced himself to have enough clarity to spread energy into that bite, to force it into Cisco’s vein, to mark him with a sort of invisible tattoo of Harry’s own brand of power. It made Ramon cry out again, made his body buck against Harry’s, made that feeling of rapture engulf them both. And before either one of them knew it, they were orgasming, one after the other, a relentless tide of pleasure that coursed through them both till Harry’s mouth came away and he collapsed completely on top of the man beneath him. 

And then there was just breathing, just Ramon’s heart hammering in his chest, just both of their bodies limp and twitching in places. 

Just coming down from the most intense high either one of them had ever experienced in the entirety of their lives. 

He wasn’t sure how long it took before he found the initiative to roll off Cisco, laying flat beside him on the bed, a deep and labored breath escaping Harry’s lungs as he settled. One of Ramon’s hands lifted heavily, touching his throat where Harry had bitten him. But he wouldn’t find a wound there. He wouldn’t feel any blood. That was one of the perks of a ‘marking bite.’ The energy forced into the body almost instantly sealed the wound. Cisco would have one hell of a hickey, though. A thought that made Harry crack a lazy smile.

“I don’t think I can move.” Cisco’s words sounded tired, but in a good way. A happy way. “My legs are Jello.” Harry chuckled, turning his head to look at Ramon. Cisco was smiling at him warmly. Lovingly. “We’re both kinda messy.” He was certainly right about that. 

“Don’t move.” Harry leaned in and kissed Cisco’s lips gently. There was a tingle there. Something he recognized instantly. Something that clarified the mark being secure. And he smiled against Ramon’s mouth before pulling away. “I’ll clean up.”

Shortly after, when Harry had wiped them both down and made sure Cisco’s very sated body was under the blankets, Harry slipped back into bed with him. Instantly, Ramon curled into him. He pushed Harry flat and then settled his head on Harry’s shoulder, wrapped his arm around Harry’s ribs, bent his leg over Harry’s thighs. “Comfortable?” He asked him. He could almost hear Cisco smile.

“Absofrickenlutely.” He sighed out, kissing Harry’s chest once before settling completely. Harry wrapped both arms around him. “I’m going to sleep so hard…” Cisco seemed to pause at his own words. “What about you, though? What are you going to do?”

“Hold you.” Harry didn’t even hesitate. 

“All night?” Cisco asked, lifting his head to look at him. “Won’t that be kind of boring?”

“First of all,” He smiled smugly, “It’s almost two. Which means you have only about two hours to sleep.” Cisco frowned instantly. “I warned you.” Harry reminded and Cisco sighed in defeat. “And second? I will never pass up the chance to hold you. Especially like this.” He slid his hand down Cisco’s back, smoothing on to his ass. Which made Cisco nearly beam before plopping his head back down. 

“You know… the whole mark thing, it was nothing like I expected.” Cisco’s soft voice barely breached the area around them, but Harry heard him just fine. “I can still feel it. I can still feel you.” He nearly whispered that. Harry began to stroke one of Cisco’s warm ass cheeks lazily, letting his eyes drift up to the darkened ceiling. He’d shut the lights off before getting back into bed. But there was still a dim glow coming from the bathroom. 

“You’ll always feel it now. And me. It’s a part of you. We’re… part of each other.” The words were simple enough, but the truth in them meant everything to Harry.

“You said you love me.” Cisco turned his face into Harry’s chest for a moment, pressing his lips to the skin there before sighing warmly. “I didn’t expect that, either.”

“I didn’t expect you to say it first.” Harry smiled. He was smiling a lot lately. And it was all Ramon’s fault. “I know you think it’s soon… but I have waited for you for hundreds of years.” He didn’t feel shy about admitting that. Cisco tightened his hold on him in response.

“This might sound corny… but… I’m going to love you forever, Harry.” Cisco relaxed then, the weight of his body against Harry’s an incredibly comfortable warmth. “I hope you’ll let me.”

“I told you before, Ramon.” He closed his eyes, turning his face to rest slightly against Cisco’s head. “I’m yours.”

There was nothing more said. Nothing they needed to say. The hours they’d spent in that bed, learning each other in ways no one else could, had said everything for them. 

And as Ramon fell asleep in his arms, Harry concentrated on the sound of the other man’s breathing, of the thudding of his heart, of the feel of his mark on Cisco’s naturally tanned skin. And he realized he was happy. Truly, completely happy. And whole. More whole than he ever thought was possible. Was this how humans felt when they connected to their soulmates? He had a feeling they didn’t. Because there was nothing typical about Cisco Ramon. Nothing normal about their connection. 

Though there were still so many things he didn’t understand about how it was possible, Harry was done questioning it. Accepting that they were here, that they were bonded, that there was literally no one -past, present, or future- that either man would ever want, was all Harry needed to do. And as the last of the night bled into day, he reveled in the feel of his undead heart filled to the brim with more love than he would ever think he deserved…

* * *

“Oh. My. God!”

Iris’ over-ecstatic voice made Cisco cringe and nearly drop his travel mug. He sucked in a breath and turned around in the kitchen, letting the startled air out of his lungs. He was going to end up having a heart attack with the way these people kept sneaking up on him. He stared at the woman before him, raising a brow. Iris looked beyond happy for some reason. How anyone could be that cheerful at four fifteen in the morning was an absolute mystery to him.

“You got laid!” She declared, hands going up. 

Yeah… his jaw dropped, and he was about to blurt out something in response, but Barry came around the corner. “Who got laid?” He asked, then looked from Iris to Cisco. “Oh-ho-ho, you did!” 

“How the hell?” Cisco asked flatly, setting the travel mug down with a thud and staring at them. He knew for a damn fact the rooms were soundproof (a fact Caitlin had revealed to him a few weeks back.) Barry chuckled and pointed to Cisco’s neck. And Cisco… he cleared his throat, lifting a hand to touch his own skin.

He’d seen the rather bright hickey in the mirror where Harry had bitten him. It was a little strange to think that was all he’d physically gotten out of it. But he wasn’t complaining in the least. Last night was the most wonderfully intense night of his life. And just thinking about it made a hot blush fill his cheeks. Caitlin came around the corner and looked right at him, a sudden smile flashing on her lips.

“Oh my god, you-“

“Uh! No!” He pointed at her, “Don’t say it!”

“Don’t say wh-…” Jesse asked as she too appeared, then stopped in place when she saw him and grabbed Caitlin by the arm excitedly. “Look at your neck!” She squealed.

“I hate you all.” Cisco sighed in defeat, hands falling to his sides. Everyone either chuckled or laughed. Then Iris hugged him warmly.

“I’m so happy for you.” She whispered, making sure no one else heard. He couldn’t have said why, but he appreciated her acceptance. He was grateful for all of their acceptance, actually. It meant more to him than he’d ever be able to say, regardless of their incessant need to pick on him.

Iris peeled herself away to get herself some coffee, too. They had all gotten up so insanely early to make sure they had enough time to get through security at the airport. It was a good rule of thumb, especially on early flights. But Cisco was seriously dragging ass. He’d woken up sore. The sort of sore that he could totally live with, by the way. Never in his entire life had he felt such physical bliss. Never had he been treated with such attention and care. Never had anyone let him make all the important decisions during sex. And Harry had done all that and more. 

It was clear right from the beginning that Harry could have easily taken what he wanted, could have used Cisco for all he was worth and left him wanting. But everything Harry did with him had been purposeful, respectful, loving. Cisco had never known that combination. 

The two men had never really talked about past relationships. Cisco had very few. The longest relationship he’d had was in college, and it was more of a matter of convenience than anything to do with love. And in pretty much any of Cisco’s sexual experiences, he’d been used more than he’d been an actual partner in the moment.

He knew Harry had been married, back before he’d been turned. His history with Tess was like a nightmare. He didn’t tell Harry that. He didn’t need to. He could tell Harry didn't like to think about it, either. 

All of this was new territory to Cisco, but he was diving in headfirst because it all just felt so natural and right to be with Harry, to love him, to be loved by him. To know Harry wanted him (and he really did know it) was comforting. It was a thought that urged him through the paces of shlumping through a far too early morning.

Everyone was gathering their suitcases near the elevator, double checking things, and Christopher Storr (the security guy Cisco had briefly met his first day here) was piling their stuff into it when Cisco saw Harry come down the hallway. He smiled instantly, which made Harry smile and walk right up to him without hesitation, a hand finding Cisco’s arm and pulling him gently. Harry leaned down and kissed him. And Cisco instantly felt far more awake and stupidly happy as he kissed him back. 

“I am so happy right now.” Jesse piped up, making Harry smile against Cisco’s lips before pulling away. Everyone was looking at them with humor and delight on their features, even Christopher.

“Oh my god, people! Stop it already!” Cisco knew he sounded exasperated but jeez. Harry chuckled.

“That’s a losing battle, Ramon.” He winked at Cisco and kissed his forehead before stepping past him to grab his jacket off the coat rack near the elevator. Jesse stopped him before he put it on, literally clinging to the tall man with a very enthusiastic hug. He said something quietly, making her chuckle and nod as he hugged her back. Afterward, he slipped his jacket on, moving to Christopher to talk to him, probably about the logistics of getting all their stuff into the SUV’s and driving to the airport.

“You’re still looking at him.” Caitlin said from beside Cisco, drawing his attention. He smiled at the calmness of her features. 

“I, uh…” he cleared his throat a little and shrugged, slipping his hands into the pockets of his new, thick green sweatshirt. “I can’t really help it.” He let his eyes fall back on Harry, the tall man glancing at him briefly, but smiling as he did. 

“Last night made you happy?” She asked him. There was a seriousness to her tone that made him pause, look right at her. He nodded without a word. “Good. Because you deserve to be happy, Cisco.” She gripped his shoulder gently. “You both do.” 

He smiled sheepishly, suddenly feeling warm and fuzzy. 

These people… these amazing people…

They had completely taken over his life. And he didn’t regret it in the least. Because he was happy. He really, really was. For the first time in seven years, he felt whole. He felt loved. And he was in love. If last night hadn’t been such an incredibly physical experience, he would have sworn he was dreaming. It was just all that wonderful to him.

After they all piled onto the elevator with their things, Harry stopped beside him briefly, curling an arm around him, settling a hand onto his waist and leaning slightly to whisper in his ear. “You’re walking like you rode a bucking horse for the first time.”

The laugh that came out of Cisco was entirely against his will. “Whose fault is that?” He demanded, elbowing Harry, which made him chuckle. 

“I will gladly take responsibility.” The vampire said, eyes sparkling with affection as he leaned forward and took Cisco’s lips with his own in front of everyone for the second time that morning. Harry’s willingness to be physical with him in front of people made Cisco completely giddy. Because it meant that Harry wanted people to know they were together. 

And Cisco couldn’t have agreed more…

* * *

The sun was barely up. 

Those who actually slept at night started waking. There was a chill to the morning air she couldn’t feel, but she pulled her jacket closer around her as she watched the SUV’s pull out of the underground garage, one after the other, the gate closing afterward. She waited till they disappeared around the corner before letting her green eyes roam up the length of the imposing building that sat at the center of the city. She was standing on the other side of the road, but even there S.T.A.R. Labs seemed enormous. 

Harrison had really done well for himself. He’d taken his dreams and made them a reality. Of course, it had taken him hundreds of years to get to this point. But that wasn’t important. 

In a way, she was absurdly proud of him. Of all the people she had ever known or would know, Harrison Wells was the only one who could have ever pulled this off. He’d always been smart, even back when intelligence was a dismal thing and faith in God was paramount to most people. He’d never quite bought into the idea that an omniscient, omnipresent being had created the world. It had been the initial reason she’d been drawn to him, all those hundreds of years ago. After all, a man who was brave enough to look at the church and say, ‘No, I refuse to play into this,’ was a man worth knowing. Her parents certainly hadn’t approved. But she didn’t care. She knew Harrison was her destiny. And that she was his.

But that was then.

She could admit, part of her remembered what it was like to love him. But it was an empty space inside her now. Something that barely had form or presence. He’d abandoned her, treated her like she was the closest thing to disgusting as a woman could be. He’d taken her gift and made it seem like she’d done something horrible, something unforgivable. She never could let that go.

Which was why she was standing there. 

It wasn’t the first time she’d come to S.T.A.R. Labs. It wasn’t the first time she’d sought Harrison out. To hurt him back. To remind him what he was. To make sure he knew he would never be where he was now if it hadn’t been for her. It had very little to do with being a jilted woman, and more to do with the fact that he’d denied her this. He’d stolen this opportunity from her. S.T.A.R. Labs should have belonged to them both. 

As the sun began to rise even higher, she slipped a pair of sunglasses out of her pocket, putting them on with a brief smile and flash of fangs. Harrison was safe for now. She had her plans, had been biding her time, and had learned to be patient as the years had dragged on. After her last encounter with him, she wasn’t about to make any more mistakes. She was going to get her revenge, and she was going to do it properly.

That was the thought Tess Wells carried with her as she stepped off the curb and crossed the street, heading back toward City Center and the subway. It was the same thought that she’d carried with her for the last ten years. 

There was a lot to be said about patience. 

When it was over, the future would taste so sweet…


	9. "Does it have to be complicated?"

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The team travels to Niagara Falls. And Cisco offers something new to Harry...
> 
> (Warning: Sexual scenario)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> (Some new lore in this one, and a seemingly random character that I promise will come into play again at a later time. Enjoy!)

_‘Harrison, I’m serious. Everything is handled. Your team filled me in completely.’_ Harry sighed deeply, one hand on his hip, the other holding his cell phone to his ear. The airport was busy, even this early in the morning. There was a long line at Starbucks, and even though any businesses or other food areas were closed, there seemed to be a lot of people flying out of the city. 

“If you need anything, or come across a problem that-“

 _‘I am not going to call you.’_ Professor Martin Stein said. Harry could practically hear the man smiling through the phone. _‘It is not going to kill you to step away from work for two weeks. Enjoy your time with the family, and with your new man.’_

Harry clenched his jaw momentarily, eyes darting up to the high ceilings. “Jesse. She told you.” He lifted his hand and rubbed his forehead before letting his eyes roam back to the packed sitting area near the gate. The group had claimed a small row of seats up against a set of exceptionally large windows. Cisco was sitting next to Barry, pointing at something on Allen’s phone. Iris was stretched out, saving Harry’s seat for him, her head in Caitlin’s lap. Jesse was next to her, braiding Iris’ hair as the three women talked. The sight of them all made a smile appear on his face. 

_‘She absolutely did. Young lady was more excited than I have ever heard her.’_ Martin chuckled lightly. _‘Harrison, I have known you for many, many years. I think it should go without saying, but I’ll say it anyway. I’m genuinely happy for you.’_

Professor Martin Stein was not only an intelligent scientist and a trusted friend, but also an androsphinx. A term that most would have no knowledge of. As was so often in the case of real preternatural beings, most mythologies about sphinx were wrong. It was true, the hundred or so that still existed were guardians to an extent. But their true purpose was collecting and protecting knowledge. It was probably why Harry and Martin got along so well. The androsphinx was a walking, talking library of history and everything that went with it. And he was far older than Harry was, and wiser by every stretch of the imagination. 

Unlike Harry, he couldn’t truly die. His soul was ageless, and if his body was too damaged to use, he could easily inhabit another. Something that was a little disconcerting to think about at first. But Martin said he’d never taken a body that had a soul already in it. Harry didn’t feel the need to question him further. 

The two had met by accident, during the Civil War. Of course, his name hadn’t been Martin, then. And under most circumstances, an androsphinx would have chosen to kill a vampire. But he’d seen something in Harry. And Martin really didn’t give him a choice when it came to becoming friends. Something of which Harry was quietly grateful for. 

“He’s excited to meet you.” Harry said, watching as Barry and Cisco began laughing, most likely over something ridiculous. 

_‘And I him. After all, it’s no small thing, to capture you. Makes me think he must be quite the man.’_ Martin laughed lightly. 

“I should get back. They’ll be boarding soon. But I mean it, Martin. If anything happens at the labs,” He urged. 

_‘I already told you. I am not going to call you. In fact, for the next two weeks, I’m going to pretend that you don’t even exist.’_ And just like that, Martin hung up, not giving Harry any further chance to argue. He shook his head, shutting the screen off on his phone and slipping it into the pocket of his black jeans with a deep breath. 

“Doctor Wells?” 

The sound of a female voice saying his name had him turning, eyes falling upon a short, young woman with absurdly long brown hair braided to her waist and hung over her shoulder. She had wide, round glasses on and was dressed casually in jeans and a rainbow tye-dyed sweatshirt. There was a bright pink rolling suitcase at her side, one hand resting on the handle. Her other hand was hooked into the strap of a blue backpack. He turned more fully and nodded, offering a professional smile. 

“Allison Walker.” He said easily, motioning to her. She smiled brightly, her young features bright and cheery. 

“You remember me. That’s… that’s fantastic.” She spoke, taking a further step toward him. “I wasn’t sure you would." 

“I tend not to forget promising people.” He asserted. The young woman went to CCU, studying journalism. He’d agreed to do an interview with her for her junior project. “You made it a point to actually write what we spoke about, and not conjecture or assumptions.” 

“You read the article?” Her brows raised at that. He could understand why she’d wonder. He'd never contacted her again once it was over. But he had read the article. Beginning to end, it was filled with intelligence and a great deal of morality. 

“I did.” He slipped his fingers into his pockets. 

“I’m glad. Honestly, I wasn’t sure if you would. But that interview helped me pass the class with flying colors. In fact, I just graduated!” She beamed, nearly bouncing in place. “I’m going to San Francisco to see my girlfriend’s parents and celebrate, that’s why I’m here. Though bumping into you was totally unexpected.” He nodded a little. 

“Congratulations.” He said honestly, making her smile brighter. “Do you know what you’ll be doing for work?” She shrugged a little at that. 

“I’ve put in applications at the city’s news outlet, and Central City Picture News. But I haven’t heard anything back. I may have to look outside the city. There’s apparently not much work for journalists right now.” Her smile faded a little as she spoke, her lips turning to the side slightly and her nose scrunching as she reached up and pushed her purple plastic-framed glasses higher. Harry thought for a moment, catching her gaze, then motioned a hand at her. 

“Do you have a pen?” 

She paused, raising a brow and blinking. “What?” She asked. 

“A pen, Miss Walker. Something to write with.” He reacted a little flatly. But he wanted to get back to the group. Nothing against the young woman. He just wasn’t used to being in airports. And the people constantly passing back and forth made him want to sit the hell down. Allison opened her mouth in a small ‘oh’ shape before pulling her backpack off with a chuckle. She set it on top of her suitcase and unzipped the front, pulling out a pink pen the same time he pulled his wallet out of his back pocket. She held it out to him, and he took it with a raised brow, shaking his head a little before opening his wallet and pulling out a business card. He flipped it over and began to write. The pink ink stood out like an eyesore. 

“Call this number in two weeks. Ask for Iris West-Allen. She runs public affairs at the labs. She can get your foot in the door anywhere you’d like.” He clicked the pen and handed both it and the card to her, then slipped his wallet back in its place as she read it over. 

“Wow… I mean…” she shook her head a little, the pure scent of gratefulness filling the air. “Thank you, Doctor Wells. Truly.” She looked back at him with a firm nod and bright smile. 

“Don’t mention it.” He pointed a thumb over his shoulder. “I have to get back to my gate. But I wish you luck, Miss Walker.” He didn’t wait for her to say goodbye, just turned and walked away. 

It wasn’t the first time he or any of his people helped someone get a leg up in the world. He knew how hard it could be to chase one’s dreams, or to tackle the world from the bottom up. Sometimes, existence could be unforgiving to bright minds. And though Harry would never be a complete fan of most journalists, he knew first hand that Allison was smart. Giving her a chance seemed the right thing to do. 

He sat down beside Cisco when he got back to the gate. The shorter man leaned instantly into him. “What was that all about?” He asked easily as Harry draped an arm over his shoulders. 

“The phone call or the woman?” Harry asked, making Cisco narrow his gaze in amusement. 

“Both.” Cisco’s hand curled around Harry’s thigh warmly, relaxing there, making Harry smile instantly. 

“The phone call was to Martin to remind him to call if anything happens. He hung up on me.” He said the last part with a little frustration. “The young woman was someone who interviewed me at CCU last year for a journalism project. She’s looking for a job. I gave her Iris’ information.” He looked at West, nodding at her. "I told her to call you in two weeks.” 

Iris smiled and shrugged. “I’ll make sure to keep an ear out for it.” 

Harry didn’t doubt it for a second. Nor did he doubt that Iris would pull out all the stops to help the college grad find her way. Because that’s who Iris was. That’s who all these people were. The proof of that was the fact he was sitting there, in a packed airport, waiting for a plane at close to six in the morning on a Friday. If it hadn’t been for them, he wouldn’t be there, seriously thinking about forgetting about work for two weeks straight. 

Once again, he felt like his life was changing. Probably far more than he realized. But he was willing to let it happen, to let Ramon and his team and life, in general, surprise him. And as Cisco reached up and slipped his hand onto Harry’s cheek, turning his head to meet Ramon’s lips for a soothing kiss for no other reason than they could, Harry had a feeling it was the best idea he’d had in a very long time… 

* * * 

Allison Walker watched Harrison Wells walk away, feeling beyond giddy and doing everything she could to keep it in. When she’d first met the prolific Doctor, she’d known he was far too busy and smart to be letting a nobody college kid interview him. But he’d agreed without question, sitting with her for nearly two hours in a coffee shop and answering all the questions she had, except for the ones that had to do with his personal life. Though that hadn’t really surprised her. Not then, not now. In all the articles and live interviews he’d been a part of, he never answered those questions. _“Stick to the important facts, Miss Walker. Gossip is a cheater's tool and won’t garner you respect.”_ He’d told her. She’d taken his advice and run with it. And her finished project had gotten her the only A+ out of the whole class. 

But that wasn’t what she was thinking about at the moment. 

No, she was thinking about what was playing out in the packed sitting area near Gate C-3. Because she’d watched Doctor Wells walk straight to a group of people and sit next to an attractive long-haired man. One who got extremely comfortable with him very quickly. It made both of her brows shoot up. And she was fairly sure her mouth was gaping. 

“Hey, there you are!” She heard Sarah come up beside her, the much taller, blue-dyed-short-haired woman reaching for her and grabbing her free hand, twining their fingers together. “You okay?” She asked, making Allison look at her. 

“I think so.” She smiled, then motioned with the card at the gate. Sarah knew who Wells was. After all, she’d helped Allison proof-read her project. 

“Hey, isn’t that…” She began to ask but froze when both she and Allison watched the shorter man pull Wells in for a kiss. One that Wells seemed quite happy to be a part of. Both women practically grabbed onto each other in something close to fangirl excitement. “Did you know he was gay?!” Sarah whispered harshly, but still somehow managed to seem loud. 

“Sarah!” She shushed, turning her girlfriend sideways and looking up at her. “No, no one did. I think that was the point.” 

“You’re going to write about this, right? I mean, you have to! This is news!” Sarah urged. And Allison blinked, glancing back as people started standing and gathering their things, Wells helping the other man put his backpack on as the doors to the gate opened and the attendant spoke over a microphone. 

“No.” She said sternly, as much to herself as to Sarah. “He was good to me. I mean,” She held the card out for her girlfriend to take, “He gave me this!” Sarah grabbed it lightly, reading the back of it. “It’s the name and number for the lady who runs public affairs for him. She’s going to help me find work.” 

“Wow, Alli.” Sarah smiled, then leaned forward and gave her a quick kiss. “I’m so happy for you.” 

“Right?” She laughed. “And all because I decided to say hi.” The two women laughed. 

“Come on, we have enough time to grab a coffee before we have to get to our gate.” And just like that, the two walked away, trailing their colorful suitcases behind them, hand in hand as they searched for the end of the Starbucks line. But as they stopped, Gate C-3 well out of view, Allison couldn’t help but wonder… all these years and Doctor Wells had never talked about his personal life. He’d never given any inclination that he had family or that he liked one gender or the other. He’d guarded his secrets so close to the vest. But there he’d been, very publicly happy and at ease with anyone seeing him so close to another man. What had changed for him? What made him suddenly so willing to throw caution to the wind? 

Sarah was right, it would definitely make an interesting piece. But Allison didn’t want to be that kind of journalist. She didn’t want to be someone who wrote about gossip and ripped open people’s personal lives just to get the headline. (Sarah, thankfully, agreed with her.) Part of that had been because of the chance Doctor Wells had taken on her last year. 

Allison wanted to make him proud for what he’d done for her. And that meant not being the one to tell the world about his life. There were so few times someone had taken a chance on her like Wells had done, _twice_ now. Even her own parents had disowned her, after finding out she was a lesbian. They had no idea what she was doing with her life. Allison wasn’t about to ruin the wonderful chances she’d gotten for something that was none of her business. 

She would take the moral high ground, call that bright pink number in two weeks, and let her actions speak for her. 

As far as she was concerned, Doctor Harrison Wells had an ally in her for life… 

* * * 

“Oh, I’m gonna hurl. I’m so gonna hurl.” Ramon was holding his face in both hands, bent over in his seat. “I hate this. I hate everything about this. Whoever decided this should be drawn and quartered.” Harry couldn’t help laughing a little, making Cisco turn his head to look at him sideways. 

“That’s very historical of you, Ramon.” He met Cisco’s accusing eyes. 

“Laugh it up. You’re not gonna find it funny when I yack on you.” Harry shook his head, reaching over and smoothing his palm down Ramon’s spine. 

“Didn’t know you got air-sick.” He watched Cisco cover his face again. 

“I didn’t know, either.” He forced himself to sit up, his eyes closed as he let his hands fall to his lap and his head relax on the back of his seat. “I’ve never been flying before.” 

Harry’s hand had moved to Cisco’s lap, the shorter man clinging to his palm with both of his hands. Harry watched him from where he was planted next to the window. They were in first class, but even the wider leg space and cozier seats didn’t seem to be helping Ramon much. “Do you want me to get Snow for you?” He asked quietly, glancing past him to the other side of the plane where Jesse and Caitlin were watching a movie on her laptop, both women with headphones on. 

“She can take away air-sickness?” Cisco raised a brow. “You need to pay that girl way more.” Ramon cracked a pale smile before heaving a breath and looking at him. “Just give me something else to focus on. Don’t wanna bug her for every little thing.” 

“Alright,” Harry looked back at the seats in front of them where a woman in her mid-thirties and a man in at least his fifties were chatting tensely about something. The two wreaked of status and far too much money. Harry had always understood why riches turned people into assholes. Money was a powerful thing. And power could corrupt. He’d spent his long, undead life doing everything he could _not_ to let that happen to him. But most humans fell into the power of wealth and let it consume them, becoming people he would never want to know. These two, in their fancy clothes and pristine manicures and expensive cologne, were no exception. “What would you like to focus on?” He and Cisco talked much quieter than the two in front of them. For one thing, no one needed to hear half the stuff they discussed. Though mostly it was because there was this concept called politeness. Something of which the couple before them seemed to have no inkling of. 

“I’ve been making a list of questions.” Cisco slid a little closer in his seat, then rested his head on Harry’s shoulder. It made him smile, resting his cheek on the top of Ramon’s head. “There’s all sorts of stuff I wanna know.” 

“Ask away.” Harry closed his eyes and just listened. Focused in on Ramon’s heartbeat and breathing and scent. He drowned out any other voices, selectively chose to be intent upon the man next to him and nothing and no one else. 

“No, no… we’re going to take turns. Like playing twenty questions. I ask, you answer. You ask, I answer. And so on.” 

“Like a game?” 

“Exactly.” 

“Alright.” It wasn’t like they didn’t have the time to spare. The flight was two hours, then a trip over the border to the Canadian side where their hotel was and no doubt an absurd amount of tourist attractions. “But you go first.” 

“Okay. First question, how many people have you been with?” That made Harry open his eyes. Cisco hadn’t asked it loudly. But it had come out so steadily and prepared that Harry wasn’t expecting it. He took in a deep breath and let it out slowly. 

“Counting you, seventeen.” He said, just as easily as the question came out. “But, also counting you, only two of those have been serious relationships.” The other having been Tess. He knew, compared to most other vampires, he was strange in this regard. It wasn’t unusual for vampires to have multiple partners. Sex was a stronger hunger than most. But something about Harry never really losing the more human parts of his psyche made sex seem trivial. It was nice, and sometimes he’d had to feed that hunger like anyone else. But he’d always wanted more tangible. He’d wanted something concrete, something real and fulfilling. He’d wanted all the emotion and connection that went with it. When it had become clear to him that all of that was nearly impossible for a vampire, regardless if he still felt things like a human, he’d cut himself off from it entirely. 

“I’ve only been with seven before you.” Cisco said from beside him, still talking hushed. “I’m not even sure I can count any of them as serious. There weren’t a lot of feelings involved.” He felt Ramon sigh, a heavy breath coming out of his nostrils. “I came out at as gay my freshman year of high school. There weren’t a lot of takers in that department. Just one-night stands or hook-ups to get mutual rocks off. There was one guy in college, but it was mostly out of convenience for us both.” 

“Was it difficult?” Harry asked, glancing up as a Flight Attendant walked past with a tray of empty coffee cups in hand. “Coming out?” 

“Oh yeah, totally.” Ramon admitted, lifting his head to look at Harry. He met Cisco’s gaze quietly. “My dad was just diagnosed with cancer, and my brother had just gotten accepted into this really pricey music school. My mom said I was being ridiculous, that if I really wanted attention, I should have focused on school more.” Ramon gave a solemn smile, as though the memory didn’t really bother him much anymore, but it would always be a bruising reminder. “I lost a lot of friends. Well… most of them, actually. I don’t think they were homophobic or anything. They just didn’t know how to react around me anymore. I spent most of high school as the nerdy outcast gay kid.” 

“I’m sorry, Ramon.” Harry said quietly, reaching his free hand up and stroking Cisco’s cheek. “You never should have been treated like that. You didn’t deserve it.” The edge of upset in his voice made Cisco lean forward and press his mouth to Harry’s, as though Ramon had sensed Harry’s instant anger at what people had done to him. The kiss, though sweet and hardly pushing the boundaries of passionate, wiped that anger completely away. 

“It’s okay, Harry. Really. I learned a lot about who I am because of it. I don’t regret anything.” He smiled, just as sweet as his kiss had been. “I’ve got a way better tribe now. And one hell of a significant other.” Cisco looked at him thoughtfully at that. “What do I even call you? ‘Boyfriend’ doesn’t really cut it for a centuries-old vampire.” He was noticeably quiet with his words, but the humor was there. 

“I was wondering that myself, but about you. There doesn’t seem to be a correct term for a soulmate that is modern enough. Though I suppose there’s always partner.” 

“Sounds like we’re cowboys. I dare you to say rootin-tootin.” Cisco grinned. 

“I would rather cut my own tongue out.” Harry said with so little inflection that Ramon snorted and laughed lightly. 

“Okay, so not partner.” 

“I think I’m going to stick with…” Harry let his eyes roam Ramon’s before nodding once, “My love.” Cisco’s grin turned into a beautiful smile. 

“Sometimes you don’t talk like anyone else and it’s fantastic.” Cisco brought his mouth back toward Harry’s. “My love it is, then.” And they sealed that deal with a kiss. 

“Whose turn is it?” Cisco asked, once he had his head resting on Harry’s shoulder again. “I lost track.” 

“I have a question…” Harry spoke up, “You said you’ve never been flying. Does that mean you’ve never left Central City?” 

“Naw. Never really needed to. Or wanted to, for that matter. I thought about going to the mountains once. But everything I needed was right there in the city. Or I thought so, anyway.” He curled a hand around Harry’s thigh. He did that whenever they sat beside each other, like he was constantly seeking contact, and Harry’s leg was somehow an anchor. “After my brother and Mom died, it never even crossed my mind anymore. Mostly because I never would have been able to afford it.” His thumb began to move in slow strokes on Harry’s thigh. “What about you? 

“I’ve been… too many places since I was turned.” He admitted. “Circumstances have dragged me all over the United States. Europe. Australia. Few other places. I didn’t really settle in Central City till about fifty years ago. And that was to start the process of creating the labs.” 

“There’s a lot of time there. How do you keep people from recognizing you? Have you ever changed your name?” 

“That’s technically two questions.” Harry smirked. 

“Sue me.” Cisco huffed. 

“I never changed my name. Just used different variations of it.” He glanced out the open window, the clouds they were sailing over seemed like a platform of white beneath them. “People didn’t recognize me because I never made myself truly visible. I kept myself as unnoticeable as possible.” 

“What changed that?” Cisco’s voice sounded intrigued, but small. Like he wasn’t sure whether or not this line of questioning would drudge things up. 

“I realized that everything I’d learned over the years, everything I could do to help further science and mankind was far more important than hiding my identity. It’s also the age of the internet. Which means it is far easier now to erase myself from the past. No one will find anything unless I want them to.” 

“That can only last so long, though. Someday someone’s going to realize you’re not aging. What then?” 

“Before it can get to that point… the labs will go to Jesse and the rest of you. And I’ll step back into the shadows until the world has forgotten about me again.” 

Cisco lifted his head, and his expression was decidedly unhappy. “I don’t like how that sounds. In fact, I hate that.” 

“It’s how it is, Ramon. How it has to be.” 

“What if it doesn’t, though?” 

Harry furrowed his brows, turning a little to see Cisco better. “What do you mean?” 

“The idea of you hiding… it makes me think you’ll just be alone. Again.” Ramon shook his head. “But what if you just… picked up and left? Went somewhere and started over? Change your name? Why do you have to sacrifice your happiness like that if you don’t need to? It doesn’t make sense.” 

“I made a promise.” He said then, the words coming out so quick and easy that it surprised himself. His brows raised and he looked away momentarily. Then he cleared his throat, well aware Ramon was still watching him. He forced himself to meet his gaze again. “After I was turned, after I came back to myself, I went home. My father had been dead for years. The last of my brothers died from disease months earlier. But my mother…” He sighed out slowly, “I told her I was leaving. Changing my name. She broke down, begged me never to do that. She said I was the only legacy my father had left. And if I didn’t carry his name on, no one ever would.” Understanding dawned on Cisco’s features. “I promised her I would keep my name. But I also… I think part of me never wanted to forget who I had been… before Tess changed me.” 

“I don’t think that’s possible.” Cisco offered softly. “I think part of you will always be that guy. After all… you snapped right out of the vamp blood lust thing almost right after you turned, right? That’s totally you. Stubborn to the last.” Harry smiled a little at that. 

“I don’t honestly know what the future is going to bring, Ramon. But I have to at least be prepared for the possibility that the world will outgrow me again.” It had happened more than once. Though he already knew it would be different this time. He had so much more to say goodbye to than before. 

“Outgrow us.” Cisco said with a nod. “I’m not going anywhere. I’m stuck to you now like the world’s most annoying piece of Velcro and there is absolutely nothing you can do about it.” Harry’s gaze narrowed on him. “Don’t give me that look, Harry. I’m just as stubborn as you are. I will find a way to outlive god himself if it means being with you.” 

“Ramon,” He shook his head, “You can’t mean that.” 

“The hell I can’t.” He almost looked angry that Harry would question how he felt. 

“You don’t understand… living this long, even moderately longer than a human should live… it can be hell. It’s not natural. I don’t want that for you.” 

“You don’t get to decide that, though. That’s something I get to choose, not anyone else.” He glared at Harry lightly. “The others, they told me everything they could think of about vampires, you know that right?” Cisco demanded. Harry’s brows shot up. “I don’t want to be one, so don’t think that’s it.” A trickling of relief flowed into Harry’s dead veins, because _damn_ … that was not a conversation he ever wanted to have. With anyone. 

“Then what are you saying, Ramon?” He demanded, really demanded. He was fighting the urge to raise his voice. Because none of this was anything he’d wanted to think about. Not this soon. Maybe not ever. 

“Why haven’t you ever had a Bonded?” The question was enough to sober Harry right up. He clenched his jaw, tore his eyes away, brought a hand up to his forehead and rubbed momentarily before dropping it to his armrest and making a fist. “Jesse said you told her never to ask because you want her to live a normal life, and she’s happy with that. She wants to have a family and grow old. But you’ve never Bonded with anyone else. Why?” Harry closed his eyes and breathed. He shut off his senses entirely. He closed his connections to everyone. He could hear Cisco shift beside him, as though he felt suddenly uncomfortable. “I need to know, man.” His tone was gentler now. Almost tender. And that made it hurt more to hear somehow. 

“Anyone Bonded to me… they’d live as long as I do. They’d never age. Never get sick. They could still be injured, but they would heal abnormally fast. All of that sounds amazing, until the trade-offs are considered.” Harry opened his eyes but didn’t look at Cisco. He felt him grab onto Harry’s fist, reaching completely across him to do so. Harry let his fingers relax in increments. 

“What trade-offs?” Cisco urged, then pressed his forehead to the side of Harry’s, a suddenly comforting presence that took the ache Harry felt and pushed it away. 

“Infertility. Watching the people they loved and cared about age and die without them. A soul that will never go to Heaven when all is said and done.” He turned his head, forcing Cisco to look at him. “My pain would be yours. You’d feel my hungers like your own. My evil, my darkness, would bleed into you over time. Eventually, it would change you." 

Ramon was quiet, thinking, holding Harry’s stare, refusing to look away. They stayed like that for several beats of Cisco’s heart before the short man spoke. “So no kids of my own. I’m gay. That won’t really a big change in my life.” 

“Ramon.” He gritted out, and Cisco nudged him. 

“I’m not finished.” 

Harry clamped his mouth shut. Cisco continued. 

“There was no one. No family. No friends. Not until you all came along and hijacked my life.” He pointed a thumb over his shoulder, motioning to the other side of the plane where Caitlin and Jesse were. Barry and Iris were two rows ahead of them. “I’m not about to assume they want anything less but a full life of their choosing. And my soul? It was never worth saving till you found me.” Harry could tell he thought honestly about everything he was saying. And he wanted to comment. To tell Cisco that he was wrong about his soul. But Cisco lifted a hand and literally put it over his mouth. Harry furrowed his brows again, but Cisco gave him a look that told him just to shut the hell up and then dropped his hand. 

“We may not know all the details about each other yet, Harry. I know we’re still learning. But you know _me_. You know me better than anyone has in my entire life because you see right into my soul. You know who I am. You know how my emotions work. Sometimes it feels like you can even read my mind. Shit, our souls are literally connected which is wild and wonderful and more than anything I could have ever hoped for.” Cisco shook his head a little. “Harry, when you turned, you didn’t change who you are. You may have had some serious weirdness piled on, but you stayed _you_. Any changes that happen to me? I’ll stay _me_. Because for the first time in years, I like me. I’m too stubborn not to be me. And you know it.” 

Harry didn’t say anything at first, mostly because he couldn’t. This man. This ridiculously energetic, wonderful, hilarious, frustrating, loving, worth-it man… he had Harry. Hook, line, sinker. “I do know it.” He said gently. But he couldn’t say much more than that. Because the thought of changing Cisco into anything but who and what he was still frightened him. Truly frightened him. 

“Listen to me,” Ramon reached his hand back up, smoothing it over Harry’s cheek. “I’m not saying I want that right this moment. It’s way too soon for a decision like that. But I love you, Harry. We’re fucking soulmates, man.” His dark eyes were so very serious. “If I’d known seven or even ten years ago…” he shook his head a little, “If I knew then what I know now, I’d tell myself not to give up like I had. I’d tell myself to hold on because, at the end of all that misery, there’d be a family waiting for me. There’d be real happiness. There’d be you, Harry. And I need you.” He pressed his mouth to Harry’s, then. And this wasn’t some chaste kiss. For a brief moment, Harry completely forgot that they were on an airplane, because his lips parted to Cisco’s demanding tongue and his hand came up to Ramon’s head and held him firm. When Cisco pulled apart enough to breathe, Harry swallowed down the sudden surge of need he felt. “Someday I’m going to ask you to make me your Bonded.” Cisco whispered. “And when that day comes, I want you to say yes.” 

Harry had no argument left. Nothing that could be added or subtracted to everything Cisco had said. He breathed in, out. Then let his hand fall from Ramon’s head. “I have never had such a serious conversation spoken so quietly in my entire existence. I’m glad we both know how to whisper.” He admitted out loud. And just like that, Ramon was laughing. Really laughing. It made some people look at them. Of all things, that’s what drew people’s attention. Including Jesse and Caitlin who both smiled and shook their heads, going back to their movie right after. 

“You’re unbelievable.” Cisco stated after he composed himself. 

“I think you take the cake on that sentiment.” Harry smirked, watching a blush creep onto Cisco’s cheeks. 

Because Ramon was unbelievable. Amazing. Incredible. Marvelous. Breathtaking. Phenomenal. The adjectives went on and on. 

They chose to talk about lighter things until they hit some turbulence and Ramon’s air-sickness came back, Cisco practically begging Harry to ask Caitlin to take the ‘devil’s nausea’ away. Which she did. No encouragement needed. After that, the two men just sat quietly, a half-hour before they were going to land, holding on to each other’s hands, whispering occasionally, though mostly enjoying the fact that they had one another in the moment. 

And Harry let his silent thoughts linger on all the things Cisco had said. Harry seriously believed Ramon was some kind of miracle worker. Because never once, no matter what anyone said, would Harry have thought of Bonding someone. But things were different now. Now he had a soulmate. Now he had a reason to risk it. But when the time came, when Ramon finally asked him to make it a reality, would Harry be able to do it? Knowing everything he knew, could he really risk Ramon’s soul like that? 

Maybe Cisco was right. Maybe it wasn’t his decision. Maybe it wasn’t his right to tell Ramon what to do with his future. 

But ‘maybe’ was a terribly uncertain word. 

And Harrison Wells would always hate uncertainty… 

* * * 

The Tower Hotel was straight out of a celebrity television show. It was all glass, really fricken tall, and their rooms looked out at the falls like some sort of mystical setting. It was unreal. And Cisco went from tired to excited in a heartbeat. They’d landed sometime after eight, and then took rented SUV’s over the border into Ontario. He was genuinely surprised at how easy the crossing was. And the drive from there to the hotel was relatively short. The lobby was awash in purple lights (which oddly worked out), square carpets, fancy plants, whitewashed walls and tall mirrors. Iris and Caitlin checked them all in while Harry and Barry handled getting their luggage on carts. Cisco and Jesse were so busy geeking out at the fancy wide-open restaurant attached to the lobby that they didn’t even bother to help. 

Once their keycards were in hand, they all agreed to take the time to unpack, shower, and settle in before meeting downstairs around four to head to their dinner reservation at Skylon Tower, which was supposed to be this disc-shaped fancy spinning restaurant high in the sky with views of the falls. People who worked at the hotel brought their stuff up ahead of them. And then everyone piled on an elevator that was equal parts mirror and shiny wood, giving it a real clean and bright feeling. 

Everyone was on the same floor except for Harry and Cisco, who were on the floor beneath. No idea why it worked out that way. But whatever. At least he had Harry as his ‘roomie.’ A term Harry instantly shook his head at. 

The suite they had was huuuuuge. He’d said it before, he’d probably say it a million times. Rich people, man. Crazy. He grinned like an idiot as Harry closed the door behind them. “Oh man, this is insane!” Cisco beamed, going straight for the floor to ceiling windows and pulling back the translucent blue curtains to get a clearer view of the falls. Harry had yet to take his sunglasses off. Something Cisco forgot about sometimes. “Oh, sorry.” He grimaced, then closed the curtains back up. He could still see the wide, deep falls through them, they just made it dimmer. “Better?” He asked, turning to look at the tall man as he peeled his sunglasses off with a nod, folding them and smiling rather fondly at Cisco. 

“You’re exceptionally excited.” Harry mused, placing the glasses down on the two-seater table he was standing next to. “It’s just a hotel room, Ramon.” 

“Uh, no. This is not ‘just a hotel room.’” He used finger quotes and began to roam around, examining everything. “This is fancy with a capital F. To me, anyway. I mean look at this!” He motioned with both arms wide open at the bed. “It’s a king-size bed! In a hotel!” He bounced forward and flopped down on top of it stomach first. The bed didn’t squeak, and it was stupid soft. “Dude!” He laughed, then rolled onto his back. And then instantly pointed up with both hands at the ceiling. “They painted it to look like the sky!” He grinned. And Harry laughed, pulling Cisco’s attention right to him. 

He let his hands fall, taking the sight of the taller man in. Harry was standing there with his hands on his hips, booted feet apart, hair in its typical delightful dishevelment. And he was smiling. That bright, real smile full of fondness and affection that always had Cisco’s heart doing a perfect imitation of a butterfly. “Why don’t you shower. I’ll unpack.” Harry moved toward him, holding out a hand for him to take. He did without hesitation, letting the vampire hoist him back to his feet. But Harry didn’t let him move just yet. He brought both hands up, cupping Cisco’s face. 

And he kissed Cisco. Hot damn, did he kiss him. It was one of those memory wiping, earthshaking, hotter than anything had a right to be kind of kisses. 

When it was over, Harry dropped his hands without a word, turned Cisco around by the shoulders, nudged him forward, smacked his ass lightly and pointed to the bathroom beyond. Cisco grinned but kept his mouth shut. He knew when to take a hint. 

“Harry! This shower has lights in it!” He blurted from the echoing, marble tiled bathroom. He heard Harry laugh and practically bounced in place as Harry handed him his toiletry bag and closed the door for him. 

He spent a good fifteen minutes just scrubbing the scent of airports and airplanes off of himself. Not that first class had been terrible. But there was a distinct staleness to his skin he wanted to make disappear. He was seriously considering asking the group if he could just hitchhike home when vacation was over. Though mostly because he didn’t want to go through all that nausea again. So not a good time. He was grateful Caitlin had managed to help him through the worst of it. And Harry. 

The two of them had talked so much. And yeah, some of it had gotten deep. But he was genuinely glad about that. Everything was so brand new with them, it felt like they had a lot to learn. At the same time, it felt like they were so comfortable with one another that it was as though they’d been together forever. A word he was beginning to put more and more stock in as the minutes, hours, days passed. _Forever_. Because he really knew he wanted forever with Harry, whatever forever meant for them. 

He could admit, it felt a little rushed. Or was it? Was one month knowing Harry too soon to know for sure that he loved him? No. He hadn’t needed a week to know he was head over heels for Harry. But was one month too soon to think about forever with the man? Maybe not. It wasn’t like they were normal, after all. They were soulmates, for crying out loud. That was as stuck as two consenting adults could be, right? 

The soulmate thing was still brand new to him, too. Sure, he’d heard stories about that, knew the gist of what it was. And Harry had explained it easily enough. But they still didn’t know the how of it. How did a mortal human and an immortal vampire become soulmates? Caitlin hadn’t been able to dig much more up on it. She said she’d put a phone call out to an ‘expert,’ but she hadn’t heard back yet. What the heck kind of person was an expert on this sort of thing? 

One thing was for sure, Cisco Ramon still had a lot to learn about his new life. 

One lesson of which was about to slap him right in the face. 

When he left the bathroom, towel around his waist (cause he’d been so excited he’d forgotten to grab clean clothes), he found Harry sitting in the chair that went to the hotel room desk, elbows on his knees, cell phone turning over and over again in his long fingers. “Hey?” He asked instantly, stepping further into the room. Harry blinked and dragged his eyes up, like he’d been lost in thought. “You okay?” Harry straightened, clearing his throat and setting his phone behind him on the desk. 

“Yes.” One word. One-word answers were never a good thing when it came to Harry. He pushed up from the chair and moved as though to continue unpacking their stuff but Cisco reached forward and grabbed his wrist. 

“Uh uh, nope.” He shook his head, Harry stopping and looking down at him with a raised brow. “Not doing that.” Cisco tugged and Harry clenched his jaw a little, but turned to face Cisco fully. “Now tell me the truth.” Harry took in a breath, letting it out through his nostrils. 

“The delivery was canceled.” He said simply. And for a moment, Cisco was confused. Until he remembered that Caitlin had spent an hour on the phone the afternoon before, arranging a delivery of blood through some company who she had connections with. It wasn’t like they could just bring blood into an airport or on an airplane without someone asking a whole lot of questions. So it made sense that they had connections to people who could accommodate Harry’s ‘diet.’ “It’s fine, Ramon.” Harry said, reaching a hand up and snagging some of Cisco’s wet hair between two fingers, moving it out of view. “I’ll figure it out.” 

“How’re you going to do that? You haven’t fed since yesterday morning. I know you haven’t.” 

“There are… other ways to get blood.” He didn’t sound happy or comfortable with that idea. And his tone made Cisco frown. 

“From who? Where?” He prodded. Harry stepped past him. This time Cisco let him go but turned to keep watching him. Harry zipped up Cisco’s empty suitcase and moved toward his own. 

“It’s not ideal. But Caitlin’s looking to see if she can find a medical supply company. One of the team will probably end up… donating.” The word made his lip curl as he plopped his suitcase onto the bed and began unzipping it. 

“I know what that means.” Cisco nodded. “Like what they do at blood drives.” Harry smirked wryly. 

“Something like that, yes.” He turned, his shirts in hand, and began to hang them. 

Cisco sat on the corner of the bed, hands on his knees. A thought was forming in his head as he sat there, quietly watching Harry put things away. 

Cisco was not into masochism. Not by any stretch of the imagination. But last night had brought about an insane amount of need to his love-starved self. He’d found himself acting on impulses he hadn’t even been aware he had… till Harry’s teeth met his flesh. Those random tugs at his skin, the sharp bursts of electricity, the pulling at his veins. Wanting Harry to sink those fangs in, to feel what it was like, it hadn’t ever been anything he’d thought of before that night. And he certainly didn’t regret now that it had happened. 

“Are there… different kinds of bites?” He asked, furrowing his brows in thought. “I know you said marking is different than feeding. How does that work, exactly?” 

“Back to playing twenty questions?” Harry asked, nudging their empty suitcases into the closet one at a time. Cisco shrugged as Harry closed the door and looked at him. The vampire dragged his eyes up and down Cisco’s sitting form for a moment, then met his stare. “My fangs have an enzyme, a coating that enters the skin and blood and reacts with whatever energy I focus out. You know what a mark is. Biting to turn a person is a different kind of energy. So is biting to feed. What I push into the bite,” He moved back to the desk and picked up his phone, “Can control what one feels in certain instances, and what the bite does.” 

“Okay, that makes sense in a way. Like a catalytic reaction.” Cisco mused out loud. Harry paused, slipping his phone into his pocket and then nodded. 

“A simplistic way of looking at it, but yes.” He crossed his arms over his chest and zoned in on Cisco. “Why? What are you thinking?” Cisco felt his own gaze soften. Harry was always reading between the lines. It was a little annoying sometimes, but mostly awesome because it meant the two of them were always on the same page. 

“A feeding bite. How does that feel?” 

“No.” Harry said flatly. “Not doing that. Not to you.” 

“Why not?” Cisco shrugged easily. “Harry, we already know I’m not afraid of your fangs.” 

“That’s not why.” He groused, dropping his arms and motioning to him. “It will exhaust you. And leave a scar.” 

“But it won’t hurt." 

“Now you’re assuming.” 

“Nope. You would have said otherwise.” He smiled. “Harry, you need to feed. You’ve been too long without it as it is. Caitlin’s good, but it’ll take time to get stuff together. I’m right here, man.” 

“You make it sound so simple.” His words were laced with a growl, just beneath the surface, a sound he’d heard more than once and brought fresh and pleasant memories to mind. 

“Does it have to be complicated?” He sighed. “You do so much for me, you know that, right? What if I want to do something for you? What if I want to take care of you for a change?” 

“Ramon, this isn’t just something you should offer so easily.” Harry said, but the conviction in his voice had dropped down a notch. 

“And yet, I have.” He urged. “You never once let me question all the things you do for me. You’re always protecting me, taking care of me, making me feel like I’m the center of the damn universe.” Harry’s expression grew affectionate again in the blink of an eye. The sight of it made Cisco smile instantly. “I’m doing this. You don’t get to argue anymore.” 

“Is that so.” Harry wasn’t asking, more like accusing. And at the same time, his eyes had moved again. So slowly, over every inch of Cisco. And that was about the time Cisco realized he was still in just a towel. “Fine.” Harry moved then, stalking toward him. Cisco didn't have the time to be happy that he'd won this particular battle, because he had a sudden feeling of being cornered by a predator. And honestly, that’s what Harry was. He knew that. But seeing Harry move like that was always thrilling. He stopped just before Cisco, standing there tall and seriously fucking hot. “This is the only time.” There was an instant edge to his voice, something dark and delicious. “And we’ll do it how I want.” He’d never, not once, heard Harry so bossy toward him unless it had to do with work. But something about it was promising, intoxicating. Cisco felt his pulse speed up, his breathing catch. Just like that, things were tense, tight, even throbbing in a needy way. 

“Shit.” He whispered. And Harry smiled. That same smile from last night. Possessive, hungry, intent. He had no idea what Harry was about to do. But Cisco’d asked for this. Demanded it, even. And honestly, he wasn’t afraid. Not even a little. If Cisco was anything in that moment, it was the definition of wanting. Especially when Harry kneeled down, one leg at a time. It put them at pretty even height for a change, Cisco only slightly higher from where he sat on the corner of the bed. But he had a very real feeling that, even though Harry was the one on his knees, he was definitely the one in charge of the current situation. 

“If I’m going to take blood from you,” Harry reached forward with both hands, one flattening to Cisco’s sternum, fingers beginning to glide down as his other hand hooked fingers into Cisco's towel, “Then I’m giving you something in return.” And he pulled the towel open the same time his hand slid down further and pushed. Cisco fell back onto the bed, suddenly staring up at that sky-painted ceiling. His breath came quick. And his dick was fully awake. Harry had made him hard in no time at all. And he hadn’t even touched him. _Fuck_. 

Harry began to massage his flesh, thumbs pressing into his groin, down his thighs. And then Harry spread Cisco’s legs wider. He felt like he was dizzy, like he should be doing something with his hands, like he was suddenly desperate for Harry to touch him in much better places. A rolling growl hit the air, rumbling, making Cisco close his eyes. Why that sound seemed to do things to him, he had no idea. But it did, _goddamn_ , it really did. He felt his dick twitch because of it. Then he felt Harry’s lips on his left thigh. Soft, delicate even. “You smell like heat.” Harry spoke, his grated voice the stuff wet-dreams were made of. “I can still smell myself on you.” Even after a shower? Damn. Vampires had some serious senses. And somehow, that wasn’t the thought that stuck with him. It was the idea that Harry’s scent was still even on him. It made him happy in a way he didn’t understand. 

Harry nuzzled him, his hand suddenly wrapping around Cisco’s hardness in a cool grip. It made Cisco gasp uncontrollably, his hands coming up to plant onto his own head, gripping his own hair. At least it gave his hands something to do as Harry began to pump his dick with just enough pressure, just enough tightness. 

Then there was breath on his thigh as Harry’s other hand hoisted his left leg up and over Harry’s shoulder. Before he could even think to wonder why, an instant intoxicating electric jolt flowed up his thigh, straight to his dick and groin. “ _Oh God_!” He moaned out loudly, gripping his hair tighter. That had to be Harry’s fangs in his thigh. Logically, he knew it was. But it just wasn’t painful. It wasn’t anything but fucking glorious. It was like that bite had a straight connection to his dick. And all his dick wanted was to feel more of that electric current. He had a vague notion that Harry’s mouth had sealed around his flesh. But he didn’t care. Pulse after pulse of the unreal sensations began to flood him with each pump of Harry’s hand on his shaft. 

Cisco felt the tell-tale pressure of an orgasm building fast and unrelenting, “ _Oh my fucking god_!” He managed to blurt out. Then one more intense, quaking shock of electricity plummeted through him. It turned him inside out. Made the pleasure become an entity all its own, made him come in deep, almost too heavy bursts until he spent himself completely and Harry’s cool hand smoothed off of him. 

Everything was tingling. Head to toe. His stomach and both thighs were twitching. He had a vague recollection that Harry was lowering his leg back down. Then he felt Harry move. Felt Harry gently tug the towel out from underneath him. Felt Harry use it to clean him up. Then Harry’s strong and wonderful hands easily dragged Cisco’s limp and pleased body completely on the bed before sitting beside him, hip in Cisco’s side. “Going to live?” Harry asked, a soft touch of humor in his tone. 

“I have no idea.” Cisco half-breathed, half-spoke. Harry chuckled lightly, a hand smoothing the still damp strands of Cisco’s hair out of his face. “What…” he swallowed, forcing his eyes to open, “What even was that?” He’d felt a million amazing things when he and Harry had sex the night before. But this had been something altogether new. 

“Feeding bites always hurt. To an extent. But if I focus enough, I can make the pain feel… different. Even pleasuring.” 

“Jesus fuck, _pleasuring_?” Cisco blinked hard at him. “That was life-changing.” Harry laughed at that, shaking his head. He could already see more color in Harry’s skin, more strength to his features. Wow. “You already look better.” Harry nodded at that. 

“It doesn’t take long for the Source to find it.” The 'it' in question obviously being blood. “How are you feeling?” Harry was stroking Cisco’s bare stomach now, his whole hand flat on it. Cisco put his hands over Harry’s and let out a very deep breath. 

“I think I’m getting tired.” He blinked heavily. And Harry nodded. 

“You’re going to be sore, too.” Harry glanced down the length of him to his thigh, something almost like pride flashing in his eyes before he met Cisco’s gaze again. There were always these glimpses, moments when Cisco would catch what Harry described as dark, even evil. But try as he might, Cisco couldn’t help but see those glimpses as just part of Harry. And a damn delicious part, too. That pride he saw at what Harry had just done to him? Totally delicious for absolutely no other reason than it was Harry who’d done it. “I could always ask Snow to heal it for you. There’d be less of a scar.” 

“Oh, hell no.” Cisco said instantly. “I love her, but she is not touching anything below my waist and above my knee.” Harry’s smile was tender. “Besides, I want to keep it. It’s a good reminder.” 

“Reminder?” Harry raised a brow. “Of what?” 

“That you let me take care of you for a change.” That made Harry’s smile go full-blown affectionate. He leaned down and kissed Cisco. It was soothing, loving. And even when their lips parted and their tongues met, and Cisco could taste the slightest touch of blood, he didn’t care. It didn’t repulse him. It didn’t worry him. It didn’t bother him. Because he fully accepted that Harry was a vampire. And nothing and no one could make him love Harry any less. If anything, he felt like he loved him more. 

When the kiss ended, Harry cleaned Cisco’s thigh and put a bandage over the two very red and raw puncture marks. Cisco was too tired to bother asking him where he got the supplies from. Then Harry tucked him into bed, still naked. Mostly because there was no way Cisco was getting up. Someone could have waved a million dollars and a boat-load of tacos in front of him, and he still wouldn’t have budged. “Sleep.” Harry said. 

“What are you gonna do?” He asked, eyes blinking heavily. 

“I’ll shower, make some phone calls. I’ll come get you when it’s time to head for dinner.” He promised. Cisco reached out and grabbed his hand before he could move away, making Harry stop and look back at him. 

“I love you, Harry.” He said easily. Harry leaned back over, placing a cool kiss to his forehead. 

“I love you, so much.” Harry whispered. And Cisco smiled before letting him go, closing his eyes and drifting off into a comfortable, safe sleep. Comfortable because that bed, seriously. And safe because of Harry. The one man who could literally draw blood and make him feel protected and loved at the same time. Harrison Wells, the best damn surprise of Cisco’s life... 


	10. "We're so ridiculously corny."

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Cisco, Harry and the team enjoy their night. But an unexpected meeting may change things...

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Heeeeey everyone! So a little more lore in this one. I hope you all are enjoying it so far. I would really love to know what you all think! I love yas! -QD

Dinner had been enjoyable. Cisco and Barry were absolute children most of the time, geeking out about the way the restaurant was ‘shaped like a UFO’ and spun completely, giving views of the falls and the plethora of lights that lit it up. Caitlin kept leaving random sugar packets on the windowsills to see if they’d still be there when they came back around. Iris tried every single one of the desserts. And Jesse kept taking pictures with her phone, probably too many. 

It made Harry wonder if he’d sheltered her too much, if he’d denied her the many experiences other children got to have. Her safety had meant everything to him at the start. But at what cost to her? She’d never complained. It simply wasn’t her way. She was always happy to be in the moment, to learn and be in his presence. It never really occurred to him that she may have wanted to see the world. But seeing her now… her excitement, her wonder, her happiness… he knew he would have to make it possible for her to go wherever she wanted. 

Cisco’s joy mirrored Jesse’s in some ways. Everything was brand new to him. From the mere idea of a spinning restaurant to the streets they wandered after everyone had eaten their fill. He kept pointing out things in shop windows, stopped and insisted on taking a group photo in front of a water fountain shaped like a horseshoe, and dragged them all through a ridiculously cheesy haunted house. (There were apparently several of those in the area. What did that have to do with a giant waterfall? Made absolutely no sense to Harry.) 

The Ferris wheel they eventually ended up on was far more memorable for Harry. Because once he and Cisco got to the top, the wheel stopped. And the world around them was bathed in shadows. The barest of lights lit up Cisco’s calm and joyous features as he peered out at the lights below and the falls beyond, a smile ever-present on the lips Harry had come to think of as pliable and soft. He couldn’t stop watching Ramon. The man’s pure delight was infectious. It outshined everything around them.

After a few moments, Cisco sat back in his seat directly across from Harry and paused when he caught his stare. His face sobered lightly, but a smile remained. Harry leaned forward, elbows on his knees. “You are the most stunning man I have ever seen.” Harry said easily, meaning every word. “I could spend an eternity just watching you exist.” Cisco’s face sobered even more at his words, a subtle redness coating his cheeks. “And blush.” That made Cisco huff a small laugh. 

“Sometimes, I forget you didn't learn to speak in the twenty-first century. I love the way you say things. It’s really… addictive.” Cisco’s words were soft. It was quiet up there, the gentle murmur of the busy tourist area below more like background noise than a distraction. 

“It’s hard to break old habits. My speech has evolved over time. But,” he shrugged, “There’s little to enjoy with more modern words.”

“You’re telling me.” Cisco agreed almost vehemently, leaning forward, mimicking Harry’s posture. It put their faces only a few inches away. “Have I told you today that I love you?”

“Yes. However, you can say it as often as you’d like.” Harry smiled, the spread of his lips instinctual and purely reactive to the man before him. Cisco’s whole face took on a tender quality. 

“We're so ridiculously corny.” Cisco leaned forward and captured Harry’s mouth. The effect was instant. Kissing Cisco Ramon was what Harry imagined a taste of heaven was like. Pure bliss. Warmth and pleasure. Love. When Cisco pulled back, just a little, he was smiling again. “I love you.”

“I love you, too.” Harry whispered. Sometimes, this man left him in a quiet state of awe. Now was no different. The words were incredible to hear. The affection was even better to feel. But Harry had an advantage to humans. He could _sense_ Cisco’s love. Feel it in his bones. It was a real, living thing. And it honored Harry in every way. He would never think himself deserving of it. But he was greedy with it. Now that he had it, he never wanted to let it go. He was sure that greed was from his vampire self. But it was a darker aspect he was alright with. Because there was nothing he wouldn’t do to keep Cisco happy, safe, and loved in return. 

Cisco shifted position, then. He moved from his seat to sit beside Harry, flush up against him, his arm wrapping around Harry’s lower back, his hand settling at Harry’s waist, forcing the vampire to lean into him. It was a little odd for him at first. He was so used to being the one doing the holding, it didn’t occur to him he might enjoy someone actually reaching out to hold him. But he did. He enjoyed it a great deal. So much so that he curled his hand around Ramon’s thigh and rested his cheek on his head. “I’m glad we’re doing this whole vacation thing. I’m glad you agreed.”

“Me, too.” Harry admitted. “It’s worth every minute, to see you so happy.” Cisco seemed to quiet at that, the Ferris wheel moving again in a momentary jerk before rolling them back over its axis. 

“What about you, though?” Ramon asked. “What makes you happy?” Harry lifted his head, Cisco turning his face to look at him.

“Isn’t it obvious?” Harry smiled and pressed a quick kiss to Cisco’s mouth. “You make me happy. And Jesse, and everyone here. I know…” he breathed for a second, then shook his head a little. “I know I don’t always show it properly. Or say it as often as I should. But all of you… you’re my happiness.” Cisco’s face took on an expression Harry had never seen. It confused him and he slowly furrowed his brows. “What?”

“Ya know, before I met you, I always pictured you as this in-control of the world, brilliant, successful man who cared more about science than anything else. But I was completely wrong. I’m glad I was. I’m glad I know who you are now.”

“What the world sees…” Harry tilted his head a little, eyes flashing cat-like in the dark, “It’s what I want it to see. What you see? That’s who I’ve always been.”

“I wish you didn’t have to hide yourself from everyone. You should be allowed to just be you all the time.”

“I wish it were that simple. But I don’t mind it. Not anymore.” The Ferris wheel began to stop again, letting people off car by car. “I have enough good people in my life, I don’t need the approval of the world.”

“I hate that you’re so rational all the damn time.” Cisco pouted a little. “Can’t you ever be, like… _unreasonable_ for once?” Harry chuckled.

“If you ask the team, I’m always unreasonable.” Cisco smiled at that just as their car stopped at the bottom and the attendant opened the door. They both slipped out, weeding their way around the gate and toward the group which had all exited before them. 

“Harry says he’s always unreasonable.” Cisco instantly said to the group. Harry shook his head.

“No, I said you all think I’m always unreasonable.”

“It’s true. You are.” Caitlin said. “But we work with it.” Harry motioned to Cisco with raised brows and he chuckled. 

“So, what do you guys wanna do now?” Iris asked brightly. They were all sort of huddled together, the temperature having dropped quite a bit. It wasn’t uncomfortable for Harry. But he could still sense the cold. It didn’t affect him. But he knew everyone else would feel it more. 

“There’s a coffee shop over there. Maybe they have hot chocolate.” Jesse offered. And before he knew it, they were all inside, sitting at a large table with bright red chairs and holding cups of cocoa, except for Harry.

“Can’t drink this either?” Cisco asked, stirring his cup with a disposable dark brown stirrer. 

“I can smell the dairy in it.” Harry responded. “It’s fine.”

“You’re going to need to feed at some point.” Caitlin pointed out quietly. Harry and Cisco exchanged glances, but Harry shrugged. “Don’t brush it off. I found a medical supply company, but they’re closed until Monday. You can’t go that long without sustenance. And we still don’t know who canceled the delivery.” She seemed visibly upset. She was always trying to take care of him, which he knew was an aspect of her abilities and who she was.

“Whoever it was, they had all the pertinent information. I made some calls. The order was canceled by someone at the hotel.” Harry explained, relaxing back in his chair and crossing his arms.

“What?!” Cisco nearly choked on his cocoa, setting it down and patting his own chest. “Why didn’t you tell us?”

“What difference does it make?” Harry raised a brow. “We can’t exactly interrogate the hotel staff.”

“See what we mean?” Barry said, motioning to Harry. “Unreasonable.”

“There’s nothing to reason with. I don’t know why they canceled the delivery. But whoever it is must know what I am.” He motioned to Caitlin, “And I’ve gone longer without feeding.”

“Wait, someone knows what you are? How is that possible?” Cisco demanded. Harry shrugged.

“It wouldn’t be the first time. Preturnatural creatures can sense each other.”

“Harry, you shouldn’t be so flippant about this.” Iris chastised him. “This is serious. You need blood.”

“Say it a little louder for everyone to hear, West.” He grated out. Iris sighed. 

“I mean it. You can feed off of one of us until Monday.”

“No.” He nearly growled out. It was different when they donated with actual medical supplies. For as long as he’d been a vampire, he’d hated physically feeding off of other people. It was too intimate, too destructive. It left scars, it was painful if he couldn’t manipulate the energy to make it into something else. All of that was probably why he was so surprised by his willingness to just give in to Cisco earlier. But there’d been something about how Ramon had been so willing, so eager to do something to help him, it had silenced nearly every protest he’d had. Choosing to make it feel good for Ramon had been an easy decision. But he hadn’t counted on how much he’d enjoyed it. 

The taste of Ramon’s blood was as pure as the rest of him. It fulfilled his hunger quickly, but it was more than that. Being able to use Ramon like that had been… exhilarating. And that bothered him, more than he dared to have shown Cisco. Because Harry was genuinely worried that if he had the chance to feed from Cisco again, he wouldn’t be able to stop himself. Cisco Ramon was the one hunger this vampire never could have counted on.

“Harry.” It was Ramon’s stern tone that pulled Harry’s attention, not the sound of his name. But Cisco had looked away, roaming his dark eyes over everyone else. “I fed him earlier. He wasn’t happy about it. But I didn’t give him a choice. I’ll do it again if he needs it.”

“Don’t talk as though I’m not sitting right here.” Harry grit out, then dropped his arms from his chest. “I’m not doing it again. And you all know why.” He pushed up from his chair, the metal screeching lightly on the floor, making everyone wince at the suddenness of it. “I’m going outside.”

He didn’t wait to hear or see anyone protest. He just weeded his way through a crowd of teenagers and pushed out the door. Yes, it was probably childish to walk off like that. But at the moment, Harry just didn’t fucking care. He was tired of these arguments, tired of the others not seeing when he was trying to protect them from himself. Of course, if he actually said those words out loud, they’d all be mad at him. He knew that was because they cared about him. It constantly put him in this position, and he hated it.

He stopped near an empty bench and raised his face to the sky, letting out a breath. It didn’t show in the cold. He’d never understood why his lungs still worked when his heart didn’t. Very few vampires could mimic breathing, let alone actually do it. Right from the start, he’d been able to pull air into his lungs and let it out like any normal human. He actually found it to be like instinct. And over time, it became normal. It was habit. It was just breathing. But it was never warm. It never had the same reaction in the cold as everyone else’s breath. There was no warmth in him, and there never would be.

“Why are you so against people taking care of you?” It was Ramon’s voice. Harry squeezed his eyes shut before lowering his face and turning, opening his blues to see the shorter man with his hands shoved into his warm black jacket, his chocolate eyes staring solemnly at Harry with such devotion and frustration, it made Harry sigh.

“I’m not against it. Just… aspects of it.” 

Cisco frowned, stepping closer to him. “When you fed from me today, I really thought you’d put up more of a fight. But you didn’t. Why?” Harry searched his features, then stepped closer to him.

“I wanted to fight it.” He spoke softly, “But there is something about you, Cisco Ramon. Something I am incapable of refusing. You’re a hunger I’ve never experienced.” He lifted a hand, bringing it to Cisco’s throat, trailing his fingers along the invisible mark. Ramon’s eyes closed instantly, a sigh emerging from his parted lips, billowing steam in the air between them. “It may be that we’re soulmates. It may be any number of things. But I don’t think I have the will to fight this pull. And that terrifies me.” He dropped his hand, Ramon looking at him instantly.

“I’m scared, too, ya know.” Cisco admitted out loud. “Not of you. I’ve never been afraid of you. Or of what you are. But I’m afraid that… that one day you won’t look at me like this anymore. That I’ll lose you somehow.”

“Cisco…” He breathed out his first name and it made Ramon’s eyes glisten.

“Harry, what I’m trying to say is… fear isn’t always a bad thing. This pull? I feel it, too. I’ve never been so drawn to anyone or anything in my life. And I want more of it all the time. I tried fighting it at first, but it didn’t make sense. I realized I wasn’t whole without you. Without this.” He pulled his hands out of his pockets, reaching up and holding Harry’s face, thumbs stroking his cheekbones in warm sweeps. “Loving someone this much, it’s intense. It’s overwhelming. And I don’t regret it for a moment. But that also comes with worry and fear and frustration. All of which I gladly accept. Which means you don’t have a choice in the matter. I’m going to worry about you, and force you to take care of yourself, or force you to let me take care of you. Cause that’s what partners do.”

“I thought we weren’t going with partners.” Harry said quietly after a moment and it instantly made Ramon smile, dropping his hands to Harry’s shoulders.

“Sorry, cowboy.” Cisco’s grin was ridiculous, and it made Harry smile against his will. He shook his head and reached for the shorter man. He didn’t care that they were in public, didn’t care that people were around to see. He just pulled him in and kissed him, opened his senses up to breathe Cisco in, let the feel of that man become his focal point. It didn’t last long, he didn’t dare embarrass Ramon, still not entirely sure what the boundaries of public displays of affection would be with him. But the promise was there, the hint of his hunger, the smallest display of his passion for Ramon. It left Cisco blinking, smiling lazily, peering at him with adoring eyes.

“So, be honest,” Ramon cleared his throat, grabbing Harry’s hand and pulling him to the empty bench. They both sat. “How big of a problem is this? Someone knowing what you are, I mean.” Harry shook his head, looking over at the coffee shop. The group of teenagers was piling out. 

“I’m not sure. Whoever it is has connections. Holding back my food supply is a clear act of presence. They want me to know I’ve been noticed, and they want me looking over my shoulder. Which I won’t be doing.” He smirked at Cisco’s expression. “I’ve been around a very long time, Ramon. This isn’t the first time someone’s tried to interfere with me.”

“Yeah, well, it’s my first time. And I don’t like it.” He crossed his arms and actually pouted. It was adorable.

“Until they show their face, there’s nothing to be done. We’ll head back to the hotel tonight, and enjoy the rest of our vacation. I’m not letting some manipulative asshole ruin this for all of you.”

“Or you?” Cisco raised a brow. “You’re having fun, Harry. You can admit it. The world won’t implode if you do.”

“The world won’t, but I might.” Cisco shook his head and dropped his arms. About that time, the group appeared, and Barry had a peculiar look on his face that instantly made the two men stare at him. “What’s wrong with you?” Harry asked pointedly. 

“I just realized every C in Pacific Ocean is pronounced differently.” Barry sighed out.

“Jet lag. He needs to pass out.” Iris said, gently patting Barry’s shoulder. 

“You’re an idiot, Allen.” Harry sighed, standing up. “Let’s all head back to the hotel. Get some rest.”

“What about the bl- food?” Caitlin asked, quickly changing her choice of word as a young couple walked past.

“I’ll make sure he ‘eats.’ Whether he likes it or not.” Cisco said, standing beside him. Harry clenched his jaw, but didn’t argue the point. How Cisco had beaten down his resolve so quickly was a mystery. One that seemed to please everyone else, because they all began to smile like morons.

“Correction. Allen, you’re not the only idiot.”

Jesse smacked his shoulder. “Stop being mean.”

“You know, sweetheart, I honestly try.” He lifted his hand, brushing her hair back with a few fingers. “But you all have to stop being stupid first.” Cisco chuckled and Jesse laughed a little despite herself.

“Stop encouraging him!” She blurted at Cisco, who just slipped his fingers into Harry’s free palm and beamed.

“Alright, enough of that, children.” Iris spoke up. “I texted the car service. The SUV’s are on the way. We have to meet them by the parking lot behind the Ferris wheel.”

And just like that, they were all on their way back to the hotel. Once there, they said their goodbyes in the lobby with an agreement to meet up for breakfast before starting a day of tourist traps and most likely spending a ridiculous amount of money on souvenirs and other things they didn’t need. Caitlin and Jesse decided to go to the hotel bar for a few drinks before calling it a night. Harry, Cisco, Barry and Iris chose to go straight to their rooms.

When he and Cisco got off the elevator, the hallway was quiet. It was close to ten and people were probably turning in or settling for the night. Harry didn’t need to rest. Not for at least another day and a half. Probably longer if he could get away with it. But he could feel an edging tiredness in Ramon’s body. A tell-tale sign that the other man would need to sleep soon. He was holding on to Harry’s hand, walking steadily at his side. Harry loved the way it felt, to be so blatantly obvious about their affections. He knew eventually they’d come across those who wouldn’t accept the idea of two men being so happy together in an obviously intimate relationship. And when that did happen, he’d have no problem putting the fear of god into them. What he and Ramon had was no one else’s concern.

“This hallway is way too long.” Cisco muttered beside him before edging out a yawn. Their room was at the other end of the hall, the last one before the fire exit. “I’m too short for this much walking.”

“What does being short have to do with walking?” Harry raised a brow.

“Little legs, Harry. In case you hadn’t noticed, yours are way longer. You also don’t remember what it’s like to run out of breath.” Cisco groused. “You have the endurance of a comet.” Harry laughed a little at that.

“Grow longer legs, then.”

“Oh yes, because that’s how that works. Why didn’t I think of that?” Cisco lifted his free hand and smacked Harry’s arm.

“You’re so abusive.” Harry chided. And Cisco smirked.

“You like it and you know it.”

Harry didn’t quip back, because they’d nearly reached the end of the hall. And what he saw there made him tighten his hand on Cisco’s, stopping them both. Their door was wide open. And standing there, in the doorway, was a man Harry didn’t know. That wasn’t the biggest problem, however. No, the biggest problem was what the man was. Something that instinctively made Harry step in front of Cisco, blocking him from view.

“Doctor Harrison Wells.” The man pushed off the doorframe. He was wearing a white button-up, a shiny black tie, a deep blue vest with matching pants, and black loafers that had been shined to a bright sheen. His very red hair was cut cleanly, short. His hazel eyes stood out in stark focus. He was slightly shorter than Harry was, but his attire screamed money. And his scent screamed power. “Hm,” The man hummed, stepping forward, facing Harry. “You feel way stronger than I was told you were.”

“Told.” Harry gritted out. He could feel Cisco shifting behind him, both of his hands holding on to Harry’s coat. He was quiet, guarded, somehow judging the situation for what it was by Harry’s actions. It made the vampire very glad Cisco was so smart. “By whom?”

“A mutual acquaintance.” He lifted his hands out of his pockets with a smile. “Bout yay high? Blond hair, green eyes?” He had his hand hovering at a certain height before dropping it. Harry’s chest rumbled with a low growl at the description. The man before him could have been describing anyone. But Harry knew right away who it was.

“Tess.” He growled out. The man snapped his fingers and pointed at Harry.

“Yes, that’s her name.” 

“What do you want?” Harry demanded, hands curling into fists at his side.

“Well, a little respect would be nice.” The man slipped his hands back into his pockets. “You see, it’s customary for your kind to give a head’s up before entering sanctioned territory. I never would have even known you were here if she hadn’t sent a message.”

“This is territory. Niagara Falls is territory.” Harry deadpanned. The man nodded. 

“Has been for, oh… about seventy years now. I understand it’s relatively new. But that’s neither here nor there. Protocol is protocol. And if I were in a less forgiving mood, I’d have to make you and your people,” he glanced at Cisco, who had moved to stand somewhat beside but still behind Harry, “Pay for it.”

“You won’t touch them.” The words were calm, the tone of his voice just as at ease. But the anger the other man saw in Harry’s eyes was instant and fiery. He couldn’t help the flash of power that emerged from him. It made Ramon gasp, feeling it through the mark.

“Very strong, indeed.” The man seemed pleased by the instinctive display. “I don’t want a battle, Doctor Wells. I know enough about you to know one on one? I probably wouldn’t win. Besides, I really like this suit. Blood is too much of a bitch to get out of such things.”

“What do you want, then?” Harry’s patience was steadily running thin. The man quieted, looking thoughtful, stepping forward, stopping face to face with the vampire.

“A favor.”

Harry raised a brow. “That’s it?” The man nodded seriously. “What favor?”

“I’ll let you know.” He winked, looking at Cisco then back at Harry. “This is my hotel. I own it. I’ve sourced blood for you, free of charge. Local. You won’t need to pull out any stops to get some. And consider you and your people VIP’s. As long as you’re in Niagara Falls, no one will bother you. And if anyone does, they’ll have to answer to me and mine.” He stepped past Harry and Cisco then, both men turning to watch him. “Enjoy your vacation, Doctor Wells. We’ll talk again soon.” And the man just kept watching till he disappeared around a corner and the hallway got empty and quiet again.

“What. The. Fuck.” Cisco whispered harshly beside him. Harry realized how tense he was. He grabbed Ramon by the arm and lead him into the room, closing the door behind them before letting him go and pacing away. He needed to breathe for a minute. Needed to calm down. He wanted to rage, to break something, to put his fists to work. “Harry, talk to me, man. Cause I’m a little freaked out right now.” Cisco’s urgent tone met his ears and he closed his eyes, his hands on his hips, his head hung a little.

He felt Ramon’s warm palm on his lower back. “He stopped the delivery.” Harry managed, opening his eyes but not looking up. He focused on a portion of the floor, forcing himself to calm bit by bit. “He’s a Leshy.” Cisco’s building confusion began to permeate the air. Harry looked at him, dropping his hands from his hips. “An old-world deity from Russia.”

“Deity… as in a God?” Cisco’s eyes widened.

“No. That’s just what the legends called them. They’re mortal, but ageless after a certain point. They live up to three hundred years. And there are more of them than there are vampires. They can manipulate their shape and matter to become stronger, bigger. And they can control carnivores. They’re also extremely territorial. They live in packs of five, controlling vast areas, protecting them and the natural life there. Life that is the exact opposite of what I am.” He paused for a moment, trying to think of the right way to explain the rest. 

“Thousands of years ago, there was an enormous amount of vampires in the world. At one point, there were as many vampires as humans. And the population was growing every decade. Leshy felt the growth had to stop. And they started a war. Leshy had begun to kill off vampires. They thought our darkness, our evil was detrimental to nature. But doing so caused problems with the natural order no one expected. Apparently, they needed us to keep balance with darker elements. And killing off so many of us caused the earth to react. There was a massive flux of hurricanes, tornados, volcano eruptions, earthquakes, more. The planet went haywire. I don’t completely understand the reasons behind it. But eventually, vampires and Leshy made a pact and ended the vampire massacres. As long as vampires followed certain rules, they’d be allowed to live without interference. Rules like keeping the vampire population at a certain level, keeping ourselves hidden from the majority of the human world, and never entering Leshy territory without permission, to name a few.” Harry felt like he’d just read from a damn textbook but keeping Cisco in the dark wasn’t going to do the man any good.

“Well...” Cisco stepped back until he found the bed and sat without looking. “That’s super disturbing. And I need to start writing all this shit down for reference.” He was watching Harry with gently furrowed brows and an almost empty expression.

“Ramon, you need to listen to me.” Harry peeled off his jacket, moving toward Cisco and tossing it onto the bed before crouching before him, placing his hands on Cisco’s knees. “Leshy are dangerous to anyone who is associated with vampires. They don’t interfere, but they’re still creatures of their instinct. All preternatural creatures are. If a younger Leshy gets you alone, they will try to rip your mark out to remove my influence. Doing that will irreparably damage your energy.” Cisco’s mouth opened, and he blinked hard.

“That sounds like a not good time.”

“It’s not. Damaging a human’s energy, even a gifted human like you, it can drive a human insane.” He was being incredibly serious. He wanted to make sure Cisco completely understood the dangers here. “We need to stay together. So I can protect you. I don’t want you going anywhere without me until we leave the falls.” Harry stood up. “I need to call the others, warn them.” He slipped his hand into his pants pocket, pulling out his phone. But Ramon stood up quickly and grabbed his hand. 

“No, wait. Just wait.” He urged, “Harry, it’s late. And there’s no danger right now. We’re safe. We’re… under this Leshy dude’s protection, right?” Harry furrowed his brows.

“He said so.” Which typically meant the Leshy had given his word. If they were anything, it was honest. In Harry’s experience, anyway. 

“Good. Then we’ll talk to everyone in the morning. Okay? I promise. We’ll bring it up at breakfast and we’ll all decide what to do together, as a team.” Cisco moved directly into him, lowering the hand Harry’s phone was in and grabbing onto Harry’s hip. “I may not understand everything that’s going on. But I do know rushing into anything isn’t going to help matters. For now, we’re safe. So, let’s just focus on that.”

“It doesn’t feel safe.” Harry admitted, then clenched his jaw. Cisco nodded.

“You sure that’s just because of the Leshy? Or because he mentioned Tess?” Cisco asked.

 _Well, fuck._

Harry looked past him for a minute, focusing on how his own emotions felt. Was that it? Was that why he was so agitated? Yeah, walking right into a Leshy’s territory without realizing it wasn’t a good thing. But Tess… that was even worse. Anything to do with that woman was hell. He tossed his phone on the bed and wrapped both arms around Ramon, turning his face into the shorter man’s hair and breathing him in. Cisco didn’t fight him. He melted into Harry’s form almost eagerly. 

“Whatever she’s up to, whatever it is she wants… it’s not good, Ramon.” He whispered. Ramon’s hand began sliding silently up and down Harry’s back. “She’s not here, the Leshy said she’d called. But why? Why bother giving him a heads up?” He pulled away enough to see Cisco’s face. “She could have just let him find out on his own. He would have been well within his right to kill me for it.” Ramon frowned instantly.

“I don’t know what she wants. I don’t why she warned him. But if she’s not here, then I don’t want you to think about her.” Harry raised a brow. That sounded like an order to him. Which was… interesting.

“It’s not that easy. You don’t know what she’s done… what she still does.” He felt his agitation begin to rise again. Just thinking about her set his thick blood boiling. Cisco seemed as in tune with him as he was with Cisco, because the man leaned up and pressed his lips to Harry’s mouth. The kiss was warm, all-encompassing. Ramon’s tongue tasted like hot-chocolate and wine and something else that was just so distinctly Ramon. All thoughts fled Harry’s head, the kiss working some strange magic that he was absolutely alright with. When Cisco pulled his addictive mouth away, Harry just watched him quietly. There was a blush on Ramon’s cheeks, his lips slightly pinked from the pressure they’d used, but there was a relaxed quality to his eyes. 

“Better?” Cisco asked, smiling tenderly. Harry smiled slowly in return.

“That was sneaky.” Harry commented. Cisco smiled brighter.

“Worked, didn’t it?” Cisco stepped back, pulling his hands away from Harry so he could pull off his jacket. He tossed it to the bed on top of Harry’s and sat with a plop, toeing his shoes off. Then the shorter man scooted back and laid down on his side, head in his pillow. He patted the bed beside him with a delicate smile and waited. Harry stared at him for a moment, then toed his own shoes off and laid down beside him. Cisco scooted as close to him as possible, letting Harry wrap his arms around him. Ramon stuck one leg between his, holding onto Harry’s hip comfortably. “Tell me everything.” He urged. And in the quiet of their hotel room, close to the man he loved, Harry did just that.

He told Ramon about finding Tess bleeding out. About burying her. He told him about the night she found him, turned him, and then how she slaughtered everyone in that household. He told him about waking up, coming to himself, not being able to fight the pull of his own hunger yet. He told him about their ‘falling out,’ how they’d nearly torn each other apart, how he’d left her without looking back. He told him about the horrible things she’d done over the years… all the innocent people she’d killed. And that there were probably more he didn’t know about. He told him about the games she liked to play with him, typically from out of reach, but always damaging. He told him about the reasons he was so protective of Jesse and the others. It was why they were all marked, on the wrists (except for Ramon,) keeping any vampire from harming them. Though that wouldn’t stop Tess if she really wanted to. She’d already broken the rules so many times. He told Ramon that she should have been killed long ago. Not just by him. But by other vampires. She was too destructive, even for their kind. “I should have killed her… when I had the chance.”

Cisco listened to it all, took it all in, didn’t interrupt or ask questions. He listened to everything Harry had to say, a growing sorrow filling up his chocolate hues the more and more he heard. “I wish…” He finally spoke up when Harry had grown quiet. “I wish I’d met her before she was turned. I know how much you loved her. I know she loved you. She must have been an amazing person.” That surprised Harry. A whole hell of a lot. Everything Harry had told him, and that was his take away? 

“You…” Harry paused, then perched up on an elbow to look down at Ramon. “You’re serious…”

“Very.” Cisco turned a little more onto his back. “You remember her, you realize that? You remember who she was. Not just the person she was, but _who_ she was to you. After everything she’s done, and whatever she still plans to do, you remember.” Cisco lifted a hand, touching Harry’s throat, over to where his pulse would have been. “That Tess… the Good Tess? She’s what you held on to. All the bad doesn’t overshadow that. It’s why you didn’t kill her back then. You could have. I know you think you should have. But you would’ve regretted it.”

“People are dead because I didn’t stop her. Jesse’s parents…” he shook his head, really not sure what he should be feeling right then. He was confused, he was concerned. He was… what even was he feeling? Cisco moved his hand to Harry’s face, and he began to trace Harry’s laugh lines, to the bend of his jaw. 

“What Evil Tess has done is not your fault, you hear me?” Cisco demanded, almost angrily. “You can’t control her. You don’t make her decisions for her. _She_ killed Jesse’s parents, not you. _You_ try to save people. You make things better.”

“Ramon…” his voice had turned into a whisper. “I wasn’t always… those first few months, I _killed_ people. Many, many people. You have to know that.” Cisco searched his eyes as he spoke. “I’ve drained people dry, torn people apart. I’ve done horrible things that would give you nightmares. I’m not any less of a monster than Tess is.”

“The _fuck_ you are.” Cisco snapped at him, and it made Harry blink. Ramon pushed up into a sitting position, forcing Harry to do the same. And he grabbed Harry by either side of his ribs. “I know what you are, Harry. I’m not completely oblivious to what that means. I can’t imagine what it’s like to be thrown into hell like that, to wake up as something other than human. But you learned to control it all. You rose above it. You didn’t want to be that way. You _chose_ to be better. That makes you the exact opposite of a monster. You hear me?” He squeezed Harry’s ribs. “And I know, _I know_ , I wouldn’t be with you if you were a monster. Being soulmates? That wouldn’t be possible. I don’t know how or why, I just know it wouldn’t be. So don’t you ever fucking say that again.” 

Ramon was genuinely angry at him. He’d never seen him like that before and it was grounding, sobering. “I don’t deserve you.” Harry whispered. And he _felt_ it. He felt his chest hurt at the sentiment, he felt the sting in his eyes. It was pain. It was sorrow. In the grip of Ramon’s words and emotions, it made his own rise up. And tears rolled down his cheeks before he had the clarity to try to stop them. The slightly blood-tinged saltiness caught Cisco’s attention instantly. And he raised both hands, holding Harry’s face. 

“God, Harry.” Cisco whispered back, wiping at Harry’s tears, and then he got up on his knees and pulled Harry into him. It was all it took to make Harry give in. He wrapped his arms tightly around Ramon. And he cried. He wasn’t loud about it. He’d never liked crying. But he couldn’t stop it now. He hadn’t realized how much he believed Ramon deserved better than him. And just how much that had been hurting him. He’d spent all his time holding on to the love of this man, he didn’t pay attention to his own inner turmoil. But it was coming out now, and Cisco was soaking it up like it was a gift. “I love you. I love you so much. We deserve each other. We do, Harry. I know we do.” Cisco whispered shaken words to him, held him till the tears subsided and the quiet pain eased.

When it was over, they were laying face to face on that bed again. Cisco had cleaned Harry’s face with such tender affection, it warmed Harry from the inside out. He touched Harry’s cheeks, smoothed fingers down his neck, opened his shirt to touch more of his skin. There wasn’t anything sexual about it. It was just a tender closeness that lulled him into calmness. He could see Ramon growing tired, his eyes blinking heavily. Eventually, his hands grew still, his lids closed, his face grew calm. Harry watched him drift into a peaceful sleep that made him look like the epitome of beauty in Harry’s eyes. He didn’t move away. Didn’t bother getting up. It would be at least six hours before sunrise. But Harry didn’t want to leave Cisco’s reach. Not yet. 

Harry had loved Tess once. She’d been everything good about his life. Her and Science. He remembered her smile, her laugh, her touch. He remembered her mind, her tenacity, her love. And he couldn’t regret having loved her. But as he thought about it now, he couldn’t compare that love to this. Yes, he missed who she’d been. And for a good nine years, he and Tess had been happy. But what he felt for Ramon was stronger than anything he’d ever felt for Tess. He couldn’t explain why. He didn’t want to try to analyze it. All he wanted was to love Ramon. All he wanted was forever with him. And he would be damned if he let who Tess was now ruin that. 

Harrison Wells had been alive for a very long time. But it was the first time since he’d been turned that he had people to lose, people worth dying for. People worth killing for. He hadn’t taken another life in nearly forty years. But he knew, with everything he was, that if he ever saw Tess again, he had no more reasons to hesitate. He’d end her. And he wouldn’t regret it in the least. Because Ramon was right. He remembered who she’d been to him. But Tess was gone. 

He had to stop holding on to the memory of the woman he’d buried. He had to end the monster she’d become…

* * *

-Sometime in the Near Future-

_Cisco watched the taller man flatten his back to the wall, sliding down with a wince, a streak of dark blood smearing behind him in a sobering display, his fangs flashing in the hallway lights as he hissed in pain. He was holding his abdomen with both hands, thick, congealed blood seeping out between his fingers. He closed his eyes when his ass hit the floor, legs sliding out and straightening. His skin looked pale already, bags under his eyes. There was just so much blood coming out of his gut._

_Too much._

_Cisco wasted no time running to him, falling to his knees beside him, hands out and open. Fear tasted sour in his mouth because this shouldn’t be happening! Harry was tough as hell and stronger than anyone he’d ever known and maybe he’d come to think of him as a little invincible. But there the vampire was, blinking his eyes open slowly. His blues had taken on a gray hue. It wasn’t right._

“God, Harry!” _He choked out, reaching for him, shoving Harry’s hands out of the way to see the gaping fist-sized wound. He felt his own breath try to strangle him as he saw all the blood, meat and other things. But then Harry lifted a bloodstained, shaken hand, curling Cisco’s hair behind his ear._

“It’s okay, Ramon.” _His voice sounded so used up. His smile was so small._

“No, dammit, don’t you do that! You need to feed… right now.” _He made a fist and held his arm out, wrist up without hesitation. Because he knew what to do, he knew how to help. Harry tried to push his arm away._

“I can’t… I can’t keep it from hurting you. I’m too weak.” _Harry’s voice grated out in protest._

“You’re losing too much blood, man. Feed, you stubborn ass.” _Cisco pushed Harry’s hand down and stared at Harry hard. The vampire grit his teeth, jaw clenching as his blues turned completely gray before Cisco’s eyes._

“Why do you… have to be… so damn… stubborn?” _He breathed out in pauses, like it was hard just to speak, then began coughing, blood came out of his mouth in droplets._

_Panic set into Cisco’s entire being…_

“I’m not losing you, Harry.”

_Cisco couldn’t. Not again. Not like this. Not ever. And he knew it. Felt it. Believed it. He knew if he lost Harry, it would be a wound his soul would never come back from._

_And he knew with everything he was that he and Harry were meant to have more time, meant to be more than some bloody end. He couldn’t let it be over…_

_He grabbed Harry by the face with both hands, staring him down, making the vampire focus._ “You don’t get to leave, Harry. Not now. We spent forever looking for each other. I want more of forever. But with you. So you take my fucking arm and you feed. Get angry, get hard. If it hurts, it hurts. I don’t care, because nothing will hurt more than losing you.”

_Harry’s eyes grew stern, even through his pain. Cisco could see the myriad of thoughts swirling in the paleness of his hues. Harry’s fangs bared and Cisco dropped his hands just in time for the vampire to grab one roughly, turn Cisco’s wrist up, and bite down without any further hesitation…_


	11. “Don’t look so disdainful, Harrison.”

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Cisco's visions continue.
> 
> The team isn't happy about the appearance of the Leshy.
> 
> Everyone is determined to make the best of a situation they can't control...
> 
> (Warning: Sexual Scenarios)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> (Hey, y'all! I hope everyone is safe and healthy! Enjoy the chapter, and if you could, please let me know what you think! Love yas! -QD)

The first thing Cisco did when he woke up (well, after brushing his teeth and doing his morning business) was get in the shower. 

The water was set to the perfect temperature, somewhere between just warm enough and the surface of the sun. They had a good three hours before they had to meet up with everyone, but apparently he’d slept like a fricken rock. Which meant he was wide awake by six, his mind instantly racing with everything that was going on and the nightmare he’d had. (Again.) He needed to center himself, clear his head, get his thoughts in order. And the shower was the perfect place to do that. 

Harry had stayed by his side for hours after he’d fallen asleep, then went back and forth between working on his laptop, wandering the hotel (which he said just helped him think), and reading. He never once touched the tv. Harry was not a fan of television or anything on it. It gave Cisco ideas of how many movies he could torture the vampire with.

Seeing Harry cry last night, feeling how deep his sorrow ran… it hurt. All this time, he’d been holding on to his pain like it was something he deserved. It had become such a part of who Harry was, he didn’t believe he deserved anything else. But Cisco knew better. Harry had proven to him that he wasn’t responsible for the deaths of his mother and brother. Proving to Harry he wasn’t responsible for all the awful things in his own past was the least Cisco could try to do.

But then, of course, Cisco had to go and have another one of his nightmares. Or should he be calling them visions now? It had been the same one he’d had in the elevator, but far more vivid. He could hear what Harry said this time. And he saw… so much. It surprisingly didn’t wake him. He wondered if Harry being near had something to do with that. It was one of many things going through his head as he showered.

The bathroom was quiet except for the water coming down from the very large showerhead. After Cisco had scrubbed his hair and body clean, he just stood beneath the spray with his eyes closed. His thigh was a little sore, the two puncture marks surrounded by slight bruising. But Cisco could live with it. He touched the spots idly, smoothing a thumb over them at the memory of how he’d gotten them.

Then he felt something. 

No, not something. He felt Harry’s energy. A cool sensation with the design of crisp night air, tender touches, sharp fangs. It all flowed into him gently, a subtle push that made him breathe in and open his eyes to see Harry standing naked in the shower before him. The vampire was looking him over, watching as Cisco let his hand drop away from his thigh. Then Harry stepped forward, putting his hands to the shower wall behind and to either side of Cisco, the water splashing on them both. Wordlessly, Harry leaned down and kissed him. 

Cisco’s mind went completely blank in a heartbeat.

He let his hands wander onto Harry’s form, slid his wet fingers down his ribs one at a time. He searched Harry’s mouth with his own, feeling a comfortable calm wash over him as Harry’s tongue danced with his. The kiss was easy, slow, sensuous in a way Cisco had only ever experienced with Harry. He wondered if it was the years that gave the tall man this kind of knowledge, or if Harry was just that damn talented. It didn’t really matter. Because Harry’s kisses belonged to him, now. A fact that constantly made Cisco feel lighter than air. 

When their mouths finally parted, Cisco was pressed right up against Harry, their wet, naked skin comfortable in the heat from the water. Harry brought both hands to Cisco’s hair, smoothing the soaked strands down and away. “How’s your thigh?” He asked, stepping back only enough to grab the soap. Cisco plucked it from him instantly, shrugging a little.

“It’s okay. A little sore.” He admitted, then began running the soap over Harry’s chest in slick lines. Harry smiled a little, running his digits through his own unruly hair, getting the strands wet.

“I’m sorry.” He said gently. Cisco shook his head.

“Nothing to be sorry about.” He smoothed the soap down Harry’s torso with both hands, watching as he did, taking in the delicious sight of Harry’s wet form. Harry was watching him, his eyes focused on Cisco’s features. He lifted a hand and began to touch his face, fingers lingering along Cisco’s cheek. 

“You had another nightmare.” He said softly, tilting his head as he watched what his own fingers were doing. “I stopped it.”

“Stopped it?” That made Cisco pause his soaping up of Harry’s stomach and look up at him. Harry nodded.

“I reached through the mark and forced your mind to calm.”

“Well, that answers that question.” Cisco smiled thoughtfully. Harry raised a brow. “I was wondering why I didn’t wake up from it this time. I always do. Was it hard? To… do whatever it is you did?”

“No. You fought it at first. As though you were in the grip of something.” Harry let his hand fall, taking the soap gently out of Cisco’s hands. “I’m sorry if I overstepped. I just… couldn’t sit there and watch you suffer.” He shook his head at his own words, furrowing his brows and looking down. “I wasn’t sure how else to help you. I could have woken you, but it was still very early and-“

“Harry, stop.” Cisco reached up and ran his fingers through Harry’s wet hair, pulling his attention back. “I’m not mad. I’m grateful. You can pull my crazy head out of those nightmares anytime you want. You’ll never hear me complain.”

“You’re not crazy.” Harry set the soap down and wrapped his arms around Cisco, the water pooling between them as they got close.

“Jesse said the same thing.” He smirked. “I know… or at least now I know that I’m not. But I still feel crazy sometimes. With these nightmares, or visions or whatever they are. I feel completely out of my mind when I have them.”

“What was this one about?” Harry questioned, reaching past Cisco with one hand but not letting him go with the other. He grabbed the shampoo. Cisco took that from him, too, making Harry give him a sour look that was all kinds of adorable. “I can bathe myself, Ramon.”

“Yup, you certainly can. But this is way more fun for me.” He popped the cap on the shampoo, stepping back so he could put some in his hand. Then he reached up with both hands and began to scrub Harry’s hair. The face he made was instantly disapproving, and Cisco had to laugh. Once Harry’s hair was thoroughly soaped up, he let the tall man step past him so he could rinse it out. Then Harry turned the water off, opening the curtain and letting all the cold air in. “Ack! Warn me before you do that!” Cisco grimaced, reaching for a towel instantly. Harry chuckled, shaking his head.

“Not at all sorry.” He commented, grabbing his own towel. He let Cisco step out first. “You haven’t answered the question.”

Cisco paused with his towel in his hair, watching Harry wrap his own towel around his waist and step out onto the mat. The vampire took Cisco’s towel away from him and began to wipe him down with it. It made Cisco smile, despite himself. “It was the one from the elevator. Just… way more detailed. We were in this hallway I’ve never seen, and you slid down the wall like you couldn’t stand. You had this fist-sized hole.” His eyes moved down to just below Harry’s sternum and he reached out, touching the area there softly. “It went right through you.” He frowned at his own description. “I wanted you to feed, but you said you couldn’t stop it from hurting me, that you were too weak. I told you I didn’t care. That I couldn’t… _can’t_ lose you. Then you…” He looked at his wrist, turning it up for him to see as though there was something there. But it was just a ghost of a thought. Harry set the towel on the top of the toilet and gently took Cisco’s wrist, running his thumb over the spot like somehow he knew exactly where Vision-Harry had bitten him.

“I fed.” He said, the words sounding tentative and pained, drawing Cisco’s eyes up. 

“It’s going to happen, isn’t it. Just like I’ve seen it.” He nearly whispered, the thought twisting his insides again. Harry took in a breath and let it out, reaching up with both hands to cradle Cisco’s face.

“I don’t know, Ramon. Visions, like yours, can be tools. They can be used to change things. Or… they can be warnings of things we can’t change.” He stroked Cisco’s cheeks tenderly, making Cisco close his eyes and let out a shaken breath. “We won’t know until it does or doesn’t happen.”

“I hate that. I want a refund.” He let himself move into Harry with an ungraceful thump of his forehead into Harry’s shoulder. The taller man smiled, he could feel it, as he wrapped Cisco up in his arms. Arms that Cisco never wanted to be without. “I never thought it would be this hard, having superpowers.” He felt Harry huff a small chuckle. “I’m no good at this. What if I screw up again? What if I miss something that could save you? I can’t lose you, Harry.” He whispered the words from his own vision. It made Harry sigh. 

“I feel the same about you.” He whispered back. “But, Cisco,” The sound of his first name struck a chord, making him look up at Harry’s bright eyes, “Everyone with a good head on their shoulders wants to make the world better, to save it. I have no doubt that’s why you went into engineering. But you should know… it’s alright if you only save one person. Ramon, it’s alright if that one person is you.”

Cisco had no words, at first. No breath. Just… heaviness. Heaviness he didn’t know what to do with. Harry was pretty much giving him an out, telling him that he couldn’t save everyone -and logically he knew that. But Harry was also telling him that if the vampire couldn’t be saved, it was alright. That Harry was good with it. But Cisco wasn’t. He couldn’t be. “I can’t think like that.” He said firmly, “I don’t _want_ to think like that. I couldn’t save my mom or Dante,” he rose up, to stare Harry directly in the eyes, “But I’m gonna save you.” 

And he took that heaviness and he dumped it at their feet because he just didn’t want to fucking feel it anymore. 

All he wanted to feel was Harry.

He searched the vampire’s mouth with his own, only this time it was no slow kiss. He wanted to feel fire, feel heat, feel the intensity of emotions that only Harry could give him. And Harry seemed to understand instantly. Because one moment they were standing in the bathroom, and the next they were on that hotel bed. And Harry was doing all the right things, and the world and its worries died away, and all Cisco knew was the far better reality of being loved by Harrison Wells. 

Harry pinned him down and roamed Cisco’s body with purpose. As though he were seeking to discover the meaning of life itself. Cisco saw the hunger in his eyes, a deep well of it, plummeting to the center of the very earth. How did it feel, to be driven by hunger? To have one’s whole life consumed by it? And for hundreds of years, no less? How did Harry become so strong that he could control it? And why did he let that control go when Cisco’s hunger mirrored his own? He didn’t ask. Not now. The only thing he wanted to know right that moment was whether or not he could turn the tables on the vampire who so easily made his body feel like the most priceless treasure. 

The answer was yes. 

He turned Harry over onto his back, knowing full well he could have fought it. Cisco had felt the strength in him, the power that rippled in every inch of Harry’s body. But he also knew that when it came to Cisco’s hands and lips, Harrison Wells was very pliable and willing. Cisco searched Harry’s body, tasted his skin. It still amazed him how Harry tasted like what Cisco imagined the night air must taste like. It still awed him that Harry’s flesh teetered between cold and comfortable, an oddly pleasing temperature that made Cisco’s warm lips feel starved when he couldn’t press them into Harry’s skin.

Harry closed his eyes as Cisco treated him to tender attention, slipped his hands into Cisco’s damp hair as he nipped lightly at Harry’s ribs. Cisco breathed hot breath onto one of his nipples, tasted it with teeth and tongue. The vampire let out a slow breath, something that always made Cisco feel a little curious. He had never heard a heartbeat in Harry’s chest, never felt a pulse in the vampire’s veins. How was he able to breathe? He figured it had to do with the Source. But he didn’t have the clarity of mind to really focus on it, because there was more to touch and taste. 

Cisco made a map on Harry’s body. There wasn’t a scar to be found, his skin pristine and delicious. Harry had told him it happened when he fell into the Void, the Source repairing things, making his flesh like new. It had made Cisco self-conscious about his own scars, his own imperfections. But Harry only saw them as part of him, as places to touch and revere, as steps along the path that had made Cisco Ramon. Hearing him say that had been enough to break his heart in a good way. No one had ever looked at him the way Harry did. 

And somehow he was sure no one looked at Harry the way he did, either. 

To Cisco, Harry was gorgeous. A walking-talking masterpiece. He was definitely Cisco’s type, tall and lean and strong. But it was more than that. Because Cisco could feel energy every time he ran fingers along the lines of Harry’s muscles. He could taste years in his smiles. He could sense pure power in his eyes. Just watching the man work was habit-forming, as though every move and every detail hidden within the subtlest tilt of his head or move of his fingers was a mystery that needed solving. And only Cisco could solve it. 

It also helped that Harry didn’t seem to know how absurdly attractive he was. Harry wasn’t stupid, he knew other people thought he was good looking. Cisco himself had seen people fawn over the vampire. But there just wasn’t that kind of ego in Harrison Wells, which was surprising all those weeks ago when he first started getting to know him. Harry hated dressing up, only did it for work. If he had his choice, he’d be wearing his black shirts and black jeans every day. He kept fit, despite the fact that being a vampire helped with that. Not because he wanted to look good, but because exercising helped him clear his mind and think. And in Harry’s opinion, his eyes were just eyes. He was completely incapable of seeing his hues as the glorious blue oceans that they were. Cisco felt like it was his personal mission to prove to Harry just how goddamn handsome he was. Tasting every inch of the man’s skin was a good start.

Going down on Harry was a strange delight. It had made Cisco completely eager when he first realized that even Harry’s dick was as cool feeling as the rest of him. When he’d taken him into his mouth that first time, it had been like nothing Cisco had ever personally experienced (though that was because, of course, he’d never been with anyone but hot-blooded humans.) He knew he was good at this. He always had been. It wasn’t something he’d overly practiced, and before Harry, it had been literal years. But the habit was easy to fall into. Except it wasn’t really a habit anymore. Before, he’d always done it because he thought he had to. He thought it was because that’s what a good boyfriend did. And more than once, he’d had that used against him. But Harry hadn’t asked. Not the first time, and not now. And Cisco had found he’d wanted to do it. He’d wanted to taste the vampire, to feel that cool, smooth skin in his mouth, to see how Harry would react.

At the moment, Harry was relaxed completely in the bed, one hand behind his head, his blues locked on every move Cisco was making. His groin twitched randomly, his chest rose and fell in easy, deep movements. The look on his face was one of controlled lust, like watching Cisco do what he was doing was just too good to watch, and feel. But Harry didn’t let him keep going for long. He reached for Cisco, sitting up, pulling him into his lap, till Cisco was straddling him and their mouths were locked. He let his tongue slip past one of the pointed canines, the tip scratching lightly against it, a soft moan evading his throat. Harry had his arms firmly wrapped around him, holding him safe and close. 

When Cisco came up for air, he slipped his hands into Harry’s hair, held onto the powerful gaze of the vampire he was completely in love with.

“You have no idea how delicious you are.” Cisco said, smiling slowly as a soft humor hit Harry’s eyes. “They should make statues of you, paintings… put them all in a museum.”

“I doubt anyone but you would want to see that exhibit.” He smirked, the slightest quirk of his lips, a small peak of one fang. Cisco chuckled. 

“I’m serious. The first day I met you, I thought you were the walking definition of sexy.” 

That did make Harry laugh. “You did say something along those lines after we left the hospital.” Harry gave a smug smile. Cisco let his arms hang over Harry’s shoulders with a shake of his head. 

“Um, no. I never said the word ‘sexy.’” 

“It was implied.” Harry tilted his head, watching Cisco every moment. It made him take in a deep breath, letting it out slowly before he brought his mouth back to Harry’s and pressed a kiss there, then he trailed kisses along Harry’s jaw, to his ear, and he whispered.

“You are the most striking being I have ever laid my eyes on, Harrison Wells. And I want you inside of me. I want to ride you, I want to watch you watching me…” The warmth of his shuddered breath at his own words slid along Harry’s throat. Cisco almost couldn’t believe he’d spoken like that. He wasn’t really the ‘dirty talk’ kind of guy. But when it came to Harry, saying what he was thinking was easy. Because Harry never used it against him, except in really good ways. 

Harry’s reaction to his words was that low, rumbling growl that always left Cisco feeling lightheaded and needy. He found Cisco’s mouth again hungrily, swallowing his heated breath and pushing him back into the mattress. 

Harry took his time opening Cisco up, using his lubed-up fingers to ready him for Harry’s dick. Cisco had always been the bottom in his relationships. Most of the time, it had felt okay. He’d had a few experiences that had left him seriously wanting, and almost all of his relationships weren’t terribly satisfying in the sex department. But from the moment he’d first kissed Harry, he’d known he was in for a whole new adventure. And he’d been absolutely right.

He made Harry sit again. Cisco rose up on his knees, to either side of Harry’s legs, then grabbed Harry’s lubed up dick. He felt Harry’s hands slide up his sides, Harry’s eyes like cold-fire as he clenched his jaw, watching Cisco every second, just like he’d wanted. And slowly he lowered himself down on the vampire’s dick. The sensations were instant. A tight stretch of a plunging pressure and coolness inside of him, deeper, deeper till Cisco was situated completely in Harry’s lap, breathing heavily, their foreheads plastered together. 

The first time Harry had been inside of him, it had verged on painful. At first, anyway. It was understandable, considering Cisco hadn’t been with anyone in over seven years. But Harry had been so patient, so gentle, it was like Cisco’s body eased into it magically fast. Harry hadn’t rushed it, had made sure that Cisco was ready before moving. It had been so enduring, so unexpected… Cisco’d never been with anyone who was so considerate. And now didn’t seem to be an exception to how Harry treated him. Because he didn’t urge Cisco to move, he didn’t even move himself. Except for his hands. Harry’s cool palms slid up and down Cisco’s ribs, his fingers trailing along each one, ever patient as they both got their breathing under control.

Cisco lifted his head, brought his hands to Harry’s face, slipped his fingers back into the vampire’s disheveled hair. He wanted to see, wanted to watch that cold-fire in Harry’s stare spark into an uncontrolled flame. He wanted to know that everything he felt was what Harry felt, too. And Cisco moved. Slowly at first. A tight, but tempered up and down shift of his hips that had Harry’s hardness sliding out and back in. He’d figured out their first go-round that Harry was pretty much the right length and size to hit all the right things. Pushing himself back down onto the vampire’s cock reminded him instantly. But he wasn’t focusing on anything but the way Harry’s hands tightened around his hips, the way Harry’s jaws clenched, lips curling the moment he was completely sheathed inside of Cisco, the way Harry’s eyes lit up just like Cisco knew they would.

The rhythm Cisco found grew from slow and easy to steady and deep. He could feel the sweat trailing down his back from the work his muscles were doing. Muscles he’d forgotten he even had. Muscles he knew were going to protest later. His own moans were becoming an entity of their own, sometimes laced with Harry’s name, sometimes touched with a slight sob of pleasure. It wasn’t until Cisco could hardly contain himself that Harry moved one hand, grabbing the lube. He upended some onto Cisco’s more than throbbing dick without looking. And then he tossed the bottle aside, taking Cisco’s dick in his cool palm and stroking with every sway of Cisco’s hips, never taking his eyes off of Cisco. It made his entire body hitch, made his eyes shut, made his head go back and his hands dig into Harry’s shoulders.

The vampire’s mouth found his throat instantly, tasting, nipping. But neither man lost momentum. Even without the intensity of Harry’s fangs digging in, Cisco felt like his body was turning inside out with pleasure. He rode Harry faster, harder, the vampire easily keeping up with the pace. And as Cisco came in Harry’s practiced palm, Harry kissed his moaning mouth. 

Slowly, Cisco’s hips eased up, his body trembling, his joints aching, his everything buzzed with an unspeakable high. “Goddamn…” he whispered when Harry’s mouth slipped away. Cisco let his head fall momentarily to Harry’s shoulder, trying so hard to remember how to breathe normally. But Harry shifted, used the incredible strength in his arms to lay Cisco’s gasping form down without letting his dick slide out. And he stayed there, hovered above him, kissing him soothingly. Harry didn’t move again until Cisco’s body relaxed completely beneath him. But not to thrust. Harry slipped out entirely. Then lined his body up against Cisco’s, making him blink in soft confusion. He swallowed, shivering slightly at the loss of Harry’s hardness inside of him. 

Harry smiled knowingly.

“It won’t feel good for you if I keep going.” He stated simply, but then his brows furrowed at his own words. “Is that what you’re used to?” Cisco took in a breath, letting it out slowly.

“No one ever bothered to wonder if it was too stimulating or painful… after I’ve come.” He felt strangely embarrassed talking about it, eyes falling from Harry’s face. “I never pushed it. I thought I was supposed to let it happen.”

“Ramon.” Harry said firmly, drawing his attention back. “That’s not how it’s supposed to work. Ever.” He sounded almost angry. “No one has the right to use you like that.” It made Cisco reach up instinctively, slipping his hand around Harry’s neck. He stared at him, feeling… emotional. In a good way. It made his throat clench up for a moment before he let out a trembling breath.

“Are you always going to be like this?” He asked, somewhat in awe. Harry’s expression softened. “Always so considerate of me, I mean?” Gently, Harry smiled.

“Absolutely.” He whispered. And Cisco fell in love all over again. He pulled Harry down without hesitation, kissing him with his flaring emotions. It might have been too soon for Cisco to get hard again, but Harry was still very firm. He could feel Harry’s dick pressed up against his hip. And it made him want to help. When he broke the kiss, he pushed at Harry’s shoulder.

“Lay down.” He said, sitting up as Harry raised a brow. “Right now.” Harry chuckled lightly, flopping back without protest.

“Bossy… what’re you thinking?” Harry asked, his hands coming up behind his head as he relaxed. Cisco grinned, then spread Harry’s long legs open, sitting between them cross-legged and comfortable before grabbing the bottle of lube. 

“It’s your turn.” He said, squeezing the thick liquid onto Harry’s dick. 

Cisco spent the next several minutes working Harry’s dick and perineum with his hands. He was good at this, too. And he was glad he could read Harry’s expressions and the slight twitches of his abdomen because it helped him decipher what worked and what didn’t. When Harry was near the brink, he pulled his hands out from behind his head and gripped the covers, eyes shut tight, teeth grit and fangs slightly bared as Cisco pumped him through an orgasm, Harry’s white seed spreading in splotches on his stomach and down his hip. 

When it was over, Harry laid there, breathing, eyes remaining shut. Cisco got up, grabbing one of their discarded towels, and then cleaned Harry off with it. Then Harry grabbed him suddenly, tugging him down on top of his longer form easily. Cisco had to chuckle, had to smile as Harry slipped his hands up and down his back. “Thank you.” Harry’s words were soft, his smile tender before he kissed Cisco lovingly.

“You don’t need to thank me for that.” Cisco said, feeling fuzzy everywhere despite the slight ache in his ass and the throb on his thigh where the puncture marks were still healing. “Harry…” He let his eyes roam to Harry’s chest, where one of his own hands was tracing small circles on his sternum, “I should be thanking you. I’ve never… no one’s ever been this good to me.”

“Cisco.” One word, more than enough to pull Cisco’s attention back, because Harry hardly ever used his first name. “The wrong person uses you, or worse. The wrong person makes you beg, makes you seek out affection.” Harry searched his face, his arms moving more around Cisco’s frame, “The right person? They give you all these things and more because they love you. I want to be that person for you. I’ll never use you, Ramon. Never. Because I love you.” God, he was just so sincere, so talented with his words. Even saying something so obviously simple, it struck every chord. “You’re so used to hurting, so used to bad things happening. Even after all these weeks, I still don’t think you’re used to kindness or to being put first by someone. But I’m determined to make sure you do get used to it. Even if it takes every day for the rest of your life.” Harry’s smile was beautiful. 

Yeah, definitely beautiful. 

“I believe you.” He nodded, smiling back. “I just hope you’ll learn to let me take care of you more.” Cisco sat up, sliding his hand down Harry’s torso. Harry gave him a look that said he was probably never going to learn. “I know things won’t always be fifty-fifty, I mean… they never are in any relationship, right? Sometimes they’re seventy-thirty. Which means we take turns, carrying the load if the other person can’t. So… get used to it, Harry. I’m going to take care of you because you take care of me.” Harry studied Cisco’s face, let his eyes roam over his naked form in thought. Then finally he nodded.

“Deal.” 

For once, a one-word answer from Harry was a damn good thing…

* * *

-October, 1623-

“Don’t look so disdainful, Harrison.” 

_He was staring at his hands, the blood coating them, the dirt beneath his nails, the dark creases in his palms. It was early Autumn, but he could not feel any chill. The night was full upon them, but he could see every detail around them. He could see the changing color of the leaves, he could see the overturned cart with its load of vegetables strewn about the road. He could see the horse in the far distance, having stopped its panicked run near a large tree in a mostly empty field._

_And he could see the three bodies. Their faces imprinted on his brain like all the dozens before them. A trail of death that went on for miles._

“He was a boy, Tess. Just a boy.” _He whispered. She could hear him. Hear the anger, the pain. She sighed heavily. A human act she badly imitated. Breathing was unnatural for her. As unnatural as everything else they were._

_The man and woman lying on the ground... part of him was alright with their deaths. The part of himself he hated most now. The part of him that wasn’t human. But the boy? He had not dared hurt the child. Tess had torn into him without a second thought…_

“When are you going to accept that they are food?” _She nudged the boy’s limp form, making Harrison stiffen in place and drag his eyes up to her uncaring gaze. He stood slowly from where he had been sitting on an overturned wooden vegetable crate._ “We are vampires!” _She said then, as though it was the most glorious word to ever be spoken._ “They are that which we consume. This is not a new revelation for you, Harrison. Not any longer.”

_It was true… the hunger, the need, the desire for blood was a very real part of him now. He needed what humans provided so that he could live, if one could call this living. Like any other animal, any other predator, the instinct to take it from them was so strong that it overpowered all his good sense. Or maybe… maybe not entirely…_

_He had grabbed the boy first, had he not? The small shoulders, the panicked expression, the scream that emerged from his little mouth… it all gave him a singular moment of clarity. Yes, he needed to feed. But from a child? He had shoved the boy down. Made a choice. Reached for the man that came running around the cart. Fed from him instead. Perhaps… perhaps he was more in control than he realized…_

_That single thought gave him hope. Real, honest hope. Something he had not felt in months. And it must have shown on his face because Tess moved toward him, abnormally quiet and graceful._ “What are you thinking, my love?” _She demanded, brows furrowed, a filthy finger lifting to point at him._ “That expression… I know what it means. That you are about to do something very foolish.”

“You have always known me so well.” _He said, moving toward her, lifting a hand to her face, blood-stained fingertips smoothing down her cheek. Once upon a time, she had been his. She had been everything to him. A beautiful light in an at times far too dull world. Now… now she belonged to the evil that created her, the one that had created them both. The one he never wanted to belong to. He dropped his hand._ “I do not know you anymore.” _She frowned at him._

“How is it you are still so very human?” _She spoke as if it was a curse, to feel as he did, to breathe without trying, to retain who he had once been._ “Why do you not embrace the gift you have been given?” _He could see the anger in her eyes, the frustration and disgust._

“I do not know.” _He answered honestly, looking past her to the three bodies… the boy._ “What I do know is… I am done.” _He moved past her, then, down the road, away from the most recent set of ghosts they had collected. The ghosts would follow, they always did._

“Done?” _She called after him, her voice tense and she sped to his side, grabbing him by the arm and pulling him to a stop. She was strong. Supernaturally strong. But so was he. Stronger than she was, even. But he let her stop him._ “What do you mean, done?” 

“I am done killing people. Done pretending that you are the same woman I loved. Done pretending like we are not monsters.” _He growled out at her, ripping his arm free of her clutches. Her eyes darkened, her fangs bared momentarily._

“You are a fool!” _She growled at him._ “You think you can simply go without feeding? You will waste away, you will die in the dirt like a filthy dog!” _He smiled at that, a reaction that made her curl her lips, her eyes sparkling with confusion._

“I will feed on animals. Or let the darkness take me, either way…”

“Are you mad?! Animals cannot sustain you. Why do you so readily long for death? Because of them?!” _She pointed to the bodies beyond without looking. He could not bring himself to see them any longer._

“Tess… Because of you, I am already dead.” _He stated firmly, moving again._

_But he did not get far._

_The feel of Tess slamming into him was jarring._

_The two of them hit the road hard, dirt billowing into the air around them as Tess snarled and shoved his shoulders into the ground. He clenched his jaw, catching the rage in her eyes. And he brought his hands beneath her, grabbing her ribs and throwing her off him with ease. She landed several dozen feet away, scrambling to her feet almost instantly afterward. He got to his own feet, slightly crouched._ “I do not want to fight you!” _He yelled at her. His voice was a loud, resonating sound in the night air._ “Let me go, Tess!”

_She roared at him, an inhuman, feral sound. And ran at him with all her speed._

_She forced him to fight back._

_She clawed and tore at him. He punched and tore at her. Her fury was palpable and his desire to be other than what she had become bled into every throw he gave. He had no idea how long it lasted, how long they fought. But the sound of a carriage in the distance had them both stopping, several feet apart. Bloody, bruised, ragged, they locked eyes._

_Tess bared her fangs once more. Then she was gone. Into the darkness, slipping away into the night. He stood to his full height, the feel of his wounds forcing pain entirely into his form, reminding him of his own limitations. He knew that, right then, Tess was no better off. He was sure he had hurt her far worse. In fact, he could have ended her. He had felt the truth of it, felt the extent of his power, and how little she had in comparison. But… he could not kill her. Despite knowing all he knew, he could not bring himself to do it._

_He let his eyes drift down the road. He could see a carriage in the distance, hear the clatter of its wheels and the hooves of the horse that pulled it. He could see the warmth the two male bodies gave off. He could fight them. But he was losing blood. And he had experienced more than enough death for one hundred lifetimes._

_He stepped back and turned, into the woods, into the shadows… a place he had grown far too comfortable with._

_He did not know where he would go. He was not sure he even wanted to live long enough to find a place to hide. He could feel the sun edging its way into the horizon, perhaps a few hours away. His eyes would feel the pain of its rising. He needed to rest. To fall into that place of darkness and death that somehow fixed his body, restored it to a primal vigor, healed its wounds. Even a hole in the ground would do, at this point._

_And as he walked deeper into the woods, away from the blood and the battle and those who rode in upon it, he heard an inhuman but familiar scream echoing somewhere behind him. He heard the pain and anguish in Tess’ voice. It made him stop… only for a moment. He did not dare to look back._

_So, he walked… he walked even when the sun rose, the rays cascading through the canopy of trees and making his eyes feel like stones made of fire. He walked till his legs gave out on him and exhaustion forced him to lay on the debris-covered ground of the Autumn woods, staring blindly up at an unforgiving late morning sky._

_He turned off his senses. He focused on the Void, let it in, begged it to swallow him whole… and this time never release him._

_But as his body slipped into its momentary death, footsteps crunched the fallen leaves on the ground, stopping beside his now still form. A figure crouched, reached forward, placed a hand upon his sternum. Something flickered there in Harrison’s chest, something that had nothing to do with being a vampire, and everything to do with being human. It made the figure smile._

“I have been watching you…” _The figure pulled their hand away._ “I believe you are ready.”

* * * 

-Present Day-

“How much did you two drink last night?” Cisco asked, looking at Caitlin and Jesse with a raised brow. Both women had sunglasses on. Inside. And Caitlin’s hair was slightly frizzled, which never happened. Jesse had a hoody on, with the hood pulled up over her head, half hiding her face. 

“You make it sound like we got drunk.” Caitlin mumbled, holding her hands up to her nose and inhaling deeply.

“Did you?” Barry asked, standing next to Iris, both of them watching with amusement.

“No, not… not even a little…” Jesse muttered.

“Your shoes are on the wrong feet.” Harry stated, motioning down to Jesse’s sneakers. She glanced down, pulling her sunglasses slightly off so she could see better. Then she looked back up at Harry over the rims.

“I don’t have any other feet.” She looked genuinely confused.

“She’s not wrong.” Cisco chuckled. Harry smirked. 

“Dressing was hard, okay? I have a headache.” She grumped, leaning heavily into Caitlin.

“The lights are too bright.” Caitlin sighed out, rubbing her forehead.

“Can’t you just do your voodoo and take your hangovers away?” Cisco questioned, reaching forward and pulling a giant piece of lint off of Caitlin’s shoulder. She grimaced.

“I wish. I can’t flush ethanol out of the system.” She sounded genuinely upset about that. Harry sighed heavily, then stepped forward, grabbing one of each woman’s wrists. He turned them up and held them out, pressing a thumb into each.

“You’re both ridiculous.” He growled out, and then Cisco felt something. A tingling at his neck, a sort of soothing chill (which was an odd way to think of it) running into his veins. Both women visibly shivered. Even Barry and Iris seemed to feel whatever was happening. It went quick, Harry letting their wrists go and stepping back. Caitlin peeled her sunglasses off. 

“Oh, thank god.” She sighed out, making Harry raise a brow. “I mean, thanks Harry.” She smiled brightly. She looked much better. So did Jesse, who took her sunglasses off and sighed down at her feet.

“My shoes are on wrong.” She crouched and sat on her butt, pulling her sneakers off to switch them.

“What’d you just do?” Cisco asked Harry, looking up at him. His blue eyes were calm. He shrugged one shoulder.

“Hangovers are just the lasting effects of electrolyte imbalances, hypoglycemia, and dehydration. All those things can throw a human’s energy off balance. I’m not a healer, obviously. But with the mark, I can tell their energy to stop dicking around and do its job. It’s not a perfect solution. But they’ll feel even better after they eat.” Harry explained, like he was talking about doing the dishes.

“Okay… I’m officially confused.” Cisco smirked. “Why’d we feel it?” He motioned to Barry and Iris. Harry glanced at them momentarily.

“We’re all connected through the mark.” Barry answered. “Here, let me show you.” He stepped forward and pulled his sleeve up a little, then pressed his wrist to Cisco’s throat. There was an instant electric jolt that made both men grit their teeth and Barry pull his wrist away. “When we come into contact with each other’s mark, or when Harry manipulates one of ours, we can all feel it.”

“Dude.” Cisco remarked, brows up as he looked back at Harry. “That’s awesome.”

“Pardon me,” a female voice interrupted, a waitress standing with a stack of menus in one arm. They’d all come to a breakfast/lunch restaurant about twenty minutes from the falls. It was supposed to have killer breakfast burritos, which Cisco was totally looking forward to. “Your table is ready. Right this way, please.” The woman smiled warmly and turned. They all followed, Harry’s hand resting comfortably on Cisco’s back as they went. Cisco was beginning to expect those touches, those gentle reassurances in passing. They were seated at a round table, everyone settling. The place was pretty big but wasn’t packed, thankfully. After everyone ordered coffee or juice or both, Harry leaned his forearms on the table, clasping his hands over his paper placemat.

“Ramon and I had a visit last night.” Right into business, it seemed. And Cisco was secretly glad about that. It had been bugging him since he’d woken up. (Except for during their early morning excursion after their shower. Nothing was bothering him then.) When it came to a lot of this supernatural stuff, he honestly felt a little useless, and wanted to know what everyone else’s thoughts were. “A Leshy.” Harry continued. Caitlin’s brows shot up and Jesse froze in place.

“I’ve heard that before, I think.” Iris said quietly, looking at Barry who shrugged and looked back at Harry. “May have been in passing, but I’m not quite sure I remember correctly.”

“They’re the territorial preturnaturals who have it out for vampires.” Jesse sounded equal parts grumpy and tense. Harry unfolded his hands and touched her arm. She leaned into him, letting him wrap an arm around her shoulders.

“Right, I remember now.” Iris looked thoughtful, “Wait… is this Leshy territory?”

“God, I never even thought to check.” Caitlin breathed out, sounding worried.

“It’s fine, Snow. This place hasn’t been territory for very long, and I haven’t traveled in quite a while. I didn’t think to check, either. And yes, West, it is. The one who spoke with us… he says all of Niagara Falls is his territory. He stopped the delivery.” 

“How is this fine?” Caitlin demanded, leaning forward and whispering. “We entered without permission. You know what that means.”

“He said we’re VIP’s, that we’re guests for as long as we’re here and he’ll provide blood for Harry. But he wants a favor in return.” Cisco spoke up, reaching under the table and smoothing his palm over Harry’s thigh, just to touch him, just to feel grounded.

“Favor? What favor?” Barry demanded. He didn’t look happy. 

“I don’t know yet.” Harry responded, moving his arm away from Jesse and making a shushing motion to everyone at the table as the waitress arrived with everyone’s drinks. After she took their orders and walked off, Harry sighed out. “None of that is even the biggest part of the problem.” Everyone’s eyes were on him, and Cisco squeezed his thigh gently, reassuring. “Tess was the one who told him we were here.” Every single one of them stilled, their expressions taking on the same mixed expressions: anger and worry.

“She’s watching you again.” Jesse said softly, staring at Harry. “It’s the only way she would have known.” Harry nodded in agreement. “Dad, this is bad.”

“That was always the risk, starting S.T.A.R. Labs. She’d always know where to find me. But that’s neither here nor there now. We can’t do anything about her without knowing where she is. And she’s gotten very good at hiding.” He crossed his arms over his chest, sitting back in his chair. “The Leshy, on the other hand, is going to make his needs known eventually, and I can ask him how he knows her. Though I doubt he’ll tell me much. In the meantime, everyone stays together. No one goes anywhere alone.”

“Why don’t we just leave?” Jesse asked. It was a good question. Cisco watched Harry’s profile quietly.

“Because if we run now, the Leshy will take offense. I’ve already risked pissing him off by being here without permission. Making it worse would be bad for all of us.”

“What do we do, then? We can’t just act like nothing’s wrong.” Barry stated, turning his coffee cup in slow circles on the tabletop.

“We… enjoy our vacation.” Harry said it so simply, it made even Cisco give him a ludicrous stare.

“You’ve got to be kidding.” Jesse glared. “Tess is back, we’re stuck in Leshy territory, and you just want to… what?! Go shopping and take selfies?! You’re not that stupid, Dad.”

“Enough, Jesse.” He snapped at her. She froze in place, but clenched her jaw, tearing her eyes away. “Running, fighting, panicking?” He motioned around the table, “None of that does us any good and is certainly not a solution.” He let his eyes roam over everyone. “I’m sorry that this is happening. But we’ve dealt with worse and more in the past. It’s a hiccup that can be handled. We just need to be patient, calm, and remember,” he looked back at Jesse, “That we’re stronger together.” She was staring down at her placemat, refusing to look at him. In that moment, she reminded Cisco very much of a child. Not in a bad way. More like a daughter who was completely worried about the father she adored. Harry lifted a hand to the back of her neck, beneath her hair, and she closed her eyes. “Jesse.” She swallowed and looked at him. “You need to trust me.”

“I do, Dad. I’m sorry. I just…” She shook her head and he pulled her forward, placing a kiss on her forehead.

“I know.” He whispered, letting her go. She gave a small smile. Cisco couldn’t imagine how hard it had to be for Jesse, to know the woman who murdered her birth parents was still out there and now threatening the people she loved. Again. Cisco was glad she had Harry. If anyone could understand what she was thinking and feeling, it had to be him.

“So, if we’re still doing this vacation thing, let’s make a plan. It’ll be better than winging it. That way if we get separated, we’ll know where to meet up.” Iris offered. They spent the next twenty minutes figuring out what they wanted to do with their day. It was frustrating, in a way. They all wanted to focus on more important things, like how the hell they dealt with a Leshy and the lingering threat of Tess hiding out of sight. But Harry was right. There was so little they could do about the unforeseen situation they’d been thrust into, they may as well make the most of it. 

They decided to hit up the tourist strips. They’d done a walk through the other night after dinner, but they hadn’t actually gone into any stores. And apparently the ladies in their bunch wanted to get at least a bag full of souvenirs. Harry begrudgingly agreed to tag along. He wasn’t much for spendy shopping. Or shopping any of kind, for that matter. To be honest, neither was Cisco. But only because he’d never had the funds or opportunity to do so. 

“You look absurd.” Harry stated, standing with his hands in the pockets of his jacket, Harry watching as Cisco tilted his head back and forth. He had googly-eye glasses on, the wide spectacles spinning with every movement of his head. 

“That’s the point, Harry.” Cisco grinned. They’d finished breakfast and headed out, stopping at a street that had a variety of stores to choose from. They’d wandered into a gag shop. And Cisco was having an absolute ball, watching how much Harry hated it. He peeled the glasses off, setting them back on the rack and gasping. “No way!” He moved past Harry and grabbed a small package off the wall. He turned and held it out to Harry with a wiggle of his brows. Harry looked at it once. Hard. Then blinked and looked back at Cisco with a frown.

“Really?” He asked, sounding completely annoyed. 

“Totally.” Cisco nodded, “I’m buying these.” Harry reached forward quickly, plucking the package out of his hand. 

“No.” He reached past Cisco’s head and hung it back on the peg, with all the other fake vampire teeth.

“Killjoy.” Cisco smirked, then stepped into Harry before he could get away from him. The instant he wrapped his arms around Harry, the taller man let out a breath and looked down. His expression lightened and he shook his head before bringing his hands up to Cisco’s hair, brushing it back off his shoulders.

“You’re incorrigible.” He said, then kissed Cisco’s forehead. “Come on, let’s wait outside. I’m going to have a stroke if I stay in here much longer.” Cisco chuckled.

“I had no idea you were such a baby. It’s good to know.” He said, taking Harry’s hand and ignoring the glare. They didn’t have to wait outside for long, the other four coming out with little plastic orange bags with the shop logo on them. 

“Hey, Harry, check it out,” Barry said, reaching into his bag and pulling out a handful of the same exact fake vampire fangs Cisco had teased Harry with.

“Oh, you didn’t.” Jesse grinned.

“Oh, I did. I got one for everyone.” Barry wiggled his brows and started passing them out.

“Allen… mine are real. And they will hurt the whole time you’re dying.” Harry explained carefully. Everyone laughed as Barry slowly slid behind Iris, handing her some of the teeth over her shoulder as he eyed Harry warily. Harry sighed and clenched his jaw. 

Sometimes, Cisco would catch himself feeling out of place. There were still moments when the group dynamic, either as a whole or individually, would catch him off guard. Sometimes, Harry’s connection to each of these amazing people would leave him slightly subdued. Like now. Even though he may not have said it in exact words or even typically showed it, Harry actually cared about Barry a whole hell of a lot. The physicist meant the world to him. The way they picked on each other was endearing, when someone took into account how often they worked together and the fact Harry never actually laid a finger on the man. 

Sometimes, Cisco forgot he was a part of those dynamics now, of those relationships. And when he got to witness it, it always made him feel grateful in a way he couldn’t put into words. Because it was a reminder of how much his life had changed, of how much he had to lose now. He never thought he’d be grateful to have something worth losing. But he was. He really, truly was.

“You’re quiet.” Harry said beside him as they followed Barry and the ladies around a large candy shop. It smelled like warm sugar and toxic sweetness and Cisco absolutely loved it. But it was true, he’d grown rather quiet since the gag shop. How many shops ago was that now? He’d lost count one street ago. He stopped beside Harry in front of the jellybean dispensers.

“Sorry. Just been thinking.”

“A million jellybeans for your thoughts?” Harry asked, draping his arm around Cisco’s shoulders, his hand hanging over one lazily. Cisco reached up and held onto Harry’s long fingers, smiling. But then his smile slowly faded.

“I just realized something…” he tilted his head to look at Harry with slightly wide eyes. “You’ve never had jellybeans.” Harry huffed a small laugh.

“I have a feeling it’s no great loss.” He smirked at Cisco’s exasperated expression. “I also have a feeling that’s not what you’ve been thinking about.”

“First of all, you heathen, how dare you? Jellybeans are tiny pieces of sugary heaven and they are probably the single greatest candy ever created. Second,” He looked away from Harry’s raised brow with slight amusement, “I was thinking about them.” He motioned his other hand to the team. “And about you. About how close you all are.”

“ _We_ are. How close _we_ are.” Harry corrected. “You’re part of that now, no matter how often you think you aren’t.”

“You reading my mind or something?” He raised a brow. Harry shrugged.

“You make it easy.”

“What happened to Cisco Ramon, Man of Mystery?” Cisco quipped. He felt Harry’s lips move near his ear.

“You let me discover you.” Harry whispered, the barest touch of his lips on Cisco’s earlobe causing an involuntary shiver.

“Oookay, you are not allowed to do that when we’re in public.” He said, heaving a breath as he turned around in Harry’s hold, staring up into intense blue eyes that made the shiver roll through him again. He swallowed and shook his head with an exasperated sigh. “I hate that you have that effect on me.” He watched that smug expression of Harry’s take hold again. “And I hate that you know it.” He pushed at Harry’s shoulder. The vampire laughed and wrapped his arms around Cisco without hesitation.

Cisco had never been this blatantly obvious about any of his relationships. Even though the world was coming far with certain things, there were still people who didn’t like to see two men being even moderately affectionate with one another. He’d always erred on the side of caution. But with Harry? The taller man simply held him, or kissed him, or touched him lovingly and didn’t seem to give two shits what anyone would think. And Cisco found himself following suit. Because for the first time, it didn’t matter if anyone felt uncomfortable with it. Because he was the very definition of happy, and it was all Harry’s fault.

“I know you feel out of place sometimes, with the team and how much your life has changed.” Harry’s voice smoothed over him, “I want you to promise me something.” Cisco pulled away enough to see his face again. “Don’t doubt that you’re wanted, that you belong with us. There’s no other shoe to drop. No rug to pull out from underneath you. You’re family, Ramon. And you’re home with us. With me.” Harry’s eyes looked so certain, his words so adamant, that Cisco found himself nodding almost instantly in quiet agreement. Harry nodded back. “Good. I’m going to hold you to that.”

“I didn’t actually say the words.” Cisco gave a small smile. Harry just tightened his hold. 

“It was implied with the nod.”

Cisco felt like he’d waited a million lifetimes to feel the peace he felt that moment. 

He had people who loved him, people who wouldn’t break or bend when it got difficult. People who had proven they needed him as much as he needed them. 

And he had someone who saw him, every last broken piece of him, and loved him anyway.

Cisco might not have had a handle on it all yet. He may not always understand the new world he was living in. But he was determined to live every day to the fullest now. He would never go back to the wasted shell of a man he had been before the team and Harry found him… before he’d been whole. 

He had so much to fight for. So much more to lose than he’d ever thought he’d have. The most important of which was holding Cisco in his arms. And he knew for certain, he would find a way to save Harry. Maybe he could even stop his vision from happening altogether. One way or another, he was going to fight whatever bad came his way. Because now he knows what he is, now he knows what he’s really capable of. And it was time to put that to good use…


	12. “You trust me so much.”

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The team meets with the Leshy and find out the 'favor' he wants may be far more complicated than anyone would have predicted. It leaves Harry in a terrible position, having to choose between keeping a promise and what is necessary. But Cisco finds he understands Harry's hunger better than most, and offers him a chance to be exactly what he is: a vampire with a soul.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> ((Soooo sorry it took as long as it did to get this out. I would really love to know what ya'll think! I hope everyone is safe and doing well! Thank you so much for reading! -QD))

\- October 1623 -

_Harrison woke to the smell of blood._

_Fresh, bold, thick. It filled his senses, had him snapping back from the Void in an instant, alertness completely with him, the feel and need to feed crowding his instinct. He sat quickly, scrambling to his feet, eyes wide as he crouched. However, he did not move from where he was. Because sitting some ten feet from him was a woman, dressed entirely in black clothes except for the brown cloak that sunk around her delicate form. She had absurdly long black hair. Longer than any woman’s hair he had ever seen. It was braided tight and hung over one shoulder. Her eyes were white. No hues. No pupils. Just… white. And in her lap, held in between thin white fingers, was a wooden bowl filled to the brim with blood._

_She smiled at him, watching him weighing the obvious questions._

“Good evening, revenant.” _She said, her voice a sweet-like-honey thing, her smile a pink stretch of softness. It was early night, the chill in the air barely touching his skin as he slowly rose from his crouched position, brows furrowing. She lifted the bowl in his direction, the smell of the liquid pungent and alluring._ “Hungry?” _She nodded her head in his direction. But he did not dare move. The idea of taking that bowl and drinking down what was in it was strong, but so was his wariness. He could feel power. It flowed from the woman like water in a river. It mirrored his own so specifically, and yet it was distinctly different as well. He knew what she was by instinct alone. How could he not? Her kind was the same as his, in some respects. Cousins, in a sense._

“Leech.” _He said softly, his voice raspy from not using it. He was not sure how long he had been in the Void. But it must have been quite some time, thanks to the damage Tess had done to him. He had a real sense that nearly a day had passed. She frowned at his word, almost like a pouting child, reaching forward and setting the bowl down on the ground._

“I really dislike that term.” _She rested her hands back in her lap._ “I prefer energy vampire.” _He curled his lip at that, one fang momentarily showing._

“Call it what you like. It does not change what you are.” _He had no disdain for her kind, not really. She was far better than him, in the grand scheme of things. She did not have to kill to feed. In fact, the majority of Leech did not kill at all. They took what they needed and left without causing devastation and grief in their wake. That was the biggest difference between the two types of vampires. One was a bloodthirsty killer; the other was not._ “What do you want?” _He looked down at the bowl,_ “Why are you here?” _He dragged his stare back to her face. She smiled again, then motioned to him._

“You were in quite the fight with your mate the other night.” _She stated so amicably, she made it seem like they were gossiping. He had to raise a brow, lift his chin a little._ “You really tore into each other. Though I suppose that was bound to happen. I had not expected so soon, however. That was a rather nice surprise, revenant.”

“Make sense, woman.” _He demanded, taking a sidestep, watching her._

“Yes, yes. So impatient.” _She stood up, wiping her hands on her pants. She wore no skirts._ “I have been watching you since the blond turned you.” _She placed both hands on her hips._ “Did a bit of magic, found out you were about to be sired. Tracked you down.”

“What?” _He asked, stopping near a tall, brittle-boned tree with no leaves._ “What do you mean magic?” _He did not believe in such things. Even now. There was a logical, scientific explanation for nearly everything. Even for what he was, he was sure of it. He just did not have the resources to determine what it was… yet._ “Why track me down at all?”

“Magic… you know…” _she wiggled her fingers in his direction and cracked a smile._ “A spell. I needed to find a revenant and… well, here we are.” _She motioned to him before letting her hands fall._

“Revenant… you keep calling me that.” _He clenched his jaw, choosing to ignore the nonsense about magic._ “Why?”

“It is what you are. Please tell me you are not this clueless.” _She sighed heavily._ “A revenant… vampire with a human soul.” _She put her hands on her hips._ “That is you, tall man.” _He blinked at her, then looked away._ “Have yet to attain all your knowledge, eh? Well, we need to get you caught up.” _She took two very quick steps toward him, and he backed into the tree. He could tear her apart, he could rip her to shreds, he could easily kill her. Leech were not physically overpowered like vampire were. But… he was done killing. He wanted no more blood on his hands. Wanted no more death. She seemed to know it, or was simply unafraid of him, because she reached right up without question and put two fingers to his forehead._

_In a mere moment, his mind was bombarded with enough knowledge about preternatural beings to fill one hundred volumes. He gasped, hands coming up to his head, a searing pain spanning throughout his skull that brought him to his knees. It only subsided when she stepped back from him. He took in a heavy breath, letting it out slowly as she moved away and came back with the bowl. Then she crouched before him, holding it out again._

“You should really feed now. You are going to need the energy.” _He frowned at her, but she was right. He felt drained. Whatever she had done to him had weakened him. He took the bowl from her, sitting down with a thud and drinking without further pretense. When he finished, he lowered the empty bowl to the ground, using the sleeve of one arm to wipe his mouth._

_He knew what he was, now._

_What he really was._

_Vampire, yes. But now it made sense as to why he was not like Tess. Why he was not like any of his kind. He was a revenant like she had said. Still vampire with all the power and instinct and hunger that went with that. But his soul was still very human, untainted by the evil that powered the rest of him. It was a strange dichotomy. Two very opposite things inhabiting one form. It should not have been possible. But once every so often, a revenant was sired. A defiance to the Source that even it could not fight. He looked away from the woman, staring at the ground a moment._

“What do you want from me?” _He asked softly, feeling subdued. Feeling… lost. Again. She sat directly across from him and reached one hand out, putting her palm on his knee, drawing his attention back._

“I want you to help me.” _He blinked at her._ “You see, Harrison Wells, the world is about to change. Mankind is about to hit evolutionary spurts that are unprecedented. And with that, creatures like us must change. Adapt.” _She pulled her hand away._ “I am one of an exceedingly small species. You are a unique change to a species that will seek to kill you if they know what you are. Together, we stand a much better chance of surviving.” _He furrowed his brows, glancing from her to the bowl._

“Where did the blood come from?” _He demanded quietly. And she chuckled a little._

“So suspicious.” _She relaxed back, hands behind her._ “It is mine. A peace offering, if you will. And… a promise.”

“Promise… of what?”

“That for as long as you help me, I will help you. We will keep each other alive until such a time when it would suit us to go our separate ways.” _She tilted her head a little._ “I can teach you to live among the humans. To feed without killing. To embrace your power without letting it consume you.”

“And all I have to do for all these gifts… is travel with you?” _He asked, for the first time really studying her. She nodded._ “Why did you seek out a revenant?” _He raised a single brow, watching her face brighten._

“You really are quite smart.” _She stretched her legs out beside him, crossing them at the ankle, completely at ease in her skin and his presence._ “A revenant and a Leech, as you call me, are two halves of the same coin. We are not evil. We are not good. We simply are. If we combine what we are in the name of mutual survival, then there is nothing we cannot accomplish.”

“You make that sound extremely simple.” _He stood, then, towering over her, she never took her hue-less eyes off of him._ “But you are not telling me everything.”

“No, no I am not. However,” _She stood, too, smiling up at him,_ “I will. Over time. When I am sure you can be trusted.” _She extended a hand to him, his eyes drifting to it momentarily._ “What have you got to lose, tall man?” _She motioned around them with her other hand._ “It is not like you have anything else to look forward to.” _He growled lightly at that, looking back at her face._

“Your name.” _He demanded. She nodded and nearly bounced on her feet in a strange sort of happiness._

“Sara Grayson.” _She beamed, seemingly quite proud of her given name. And despite his better judgment, he shook her hand._

_She was right, he did not have anything. Anyone. He had wanted to die before he had fallen into the Void. But now that she had shared all that knowledge with him, had fed him of her own free will… now that he was in the presence of someone similar to him… he had a tickling of hope in his chest. It was far more intoxicating than hunger. And he wanted more of it. More hope. For a future. For a life. For more than blood and shadows and filth._

“Fantastic!” _She grinned, pulling her hand away._ “First lesson on how to live with humans?” _She reached forward and plucked at his blood-stained, torn shirt._ “Bathe.” _She grimaced, letting the material go and turned, waving behind her for him to follow._

_He had no idea what he was truly getting himself into. But it was far better than any other alternative. It had to be… because there simply was no other option for a vampire with a painfully human soul…_

* * *

\- Present Day - 

The team was cornered into a meeting room at the hotel the next day. 

No one was sitting, choosing instead to stand near a set of thickly curtained windows in a line. Harry had his arms crossed quietly, watching the four strangers on the opposite side of the room and the Leshy they’d met. Cisco was standing beside him, a look of controlled worry on his face.

They’d all spent the morning at the hotel, choosing to stay there and near one another for the day. He and Ramon had taken the opportunity to spend their morning shamelessly in bed, using up the hours to find new ways to please each other, as well as revisiting some of the ones they already knew of. (Harry had a feeling they were never going to fall out of the ‘honeymoon phase,’ simply because they were so relentlessly addicted to one another.) Then, after they’d cleaned and dressed, they met everyone for lunch in the hotel restaurant.

During the night, while Cisco slept, Harry had called Martin Stein. S.T.A.R. Labs was still in one piece, and there had been no sighting of Tess. Though Harry wasn’t sure if that made him feel better or worse. For so many years, he’d played this game of cat and mouse with the female vampire. He was absolutely tired of it. But he couldn’t think about that right now, because they were all in that room for an important reason.

The Leshy had come through with blood for Harry, a delivery of it arriving to their room at around seven in the morning. (The man who dropped it off was lucky he hadn’t woken Ramon with his absurdly loud knocking.) Harry had enough blood to last him a good week. And it was packaged well, not cheap. It made Harry wonder how big of a favor the Leshy was going to ask from him. The man obviously didn’t need money from the vampire. And unless he had a hidden hard-on for all things science, Harry had absolutely no clue what it could be.

But he was about to find out.

“Introductions?” The red-headed man asked, standing in front of the closed double doors, two men to his left and two women to his right, the Leshy in charge offering a smile that was all warmth but with none of the conviction. He let his eyes roam from person to person, stopping on Cisco first. “Let’s start with you.” He motioned before slipping his hands into the pockets of his dark green suit pants. Cisco stiffened a little at his side, Harry sensing the instant nervousness in his form. He unfolded his arms and reached down, taking Cisco by the hand. It seemed to soothe something in him, and it made Harry feel better. He was hiding his own agitation, for the sake of the group. But being able to hold Ramon, even in a small way, was more than helpful. 

“Cisco Ramon.” Cisco replied sternly. “And what’s your name?” The Leshy nodded, chuckling a little.

“Leonid Kuznetsov. But my friends call me Leo.”

“So we’re friends now?” Jesse piped up from Harry’s other side. Caitlin was beside her. Iris and Barry were beside Cisco. Harry spared his daughter a chastising look, which she blinked at and frowned. 

“Oh, little one,” He winked at her. “I’d love to be close friends with you.” That made Harry stiffen and step forward, letting go of Ramon’s hand and catching Leonid’s attention entirely. 

“Leave her alone.” He moved directly in front of her, blocking Jesse from view. “You wanted a favor. I’m guessing that’s why you had me gather everyone here. So cut the bullshit and tell me what you want.” He demanded. He instantly felt Jesse’s palm in his left hand, her smaller fingers curling around his. 

“Not the patient sort, are you?” Leonid asked, raising a brow.

“It’s not one of my virtues when it comes to these… situations.” Harry blandly responded. The Leshy chuckled.

“I can see that.” He stepped forward, stopping before the long table that sat between the two groups. “But, ya see…” He sighed, tilting his head a little. “You’re in my territory, uninvited. So, if I say I want introductions,” something about his stare instantly turned cold and hard, “Then I want some _fucking_ introductions.”

“Barry Allen.” Barry said a beat afterward, stepping forward, motioning to Snow, “Caitlin Snow, Jesse Wells, Iris West-Allen. There. Done.” Leonid followed his hasty introductions with a slowly growing smirk. 

“Ballsy, aren’t ya.” He said directly to Barry, who just furrowed his brows and raised his chin a little. “It’s quite the entourage you’ve got here, Wells.”

“And who are they?” Harry demanded, motioning with a nod of his head in the direction of the strangers across from them. Leonid raised both brows. 

“Oh, them? They’re the rest of my pack.” He motioned to the two women, “Anna and Mira,” then to the two men, “Victor and Owen.” All Leshy. Wonderful. The whole gang was here. “Figured I may as well let you know exactly what you strode into, right?” He grinned. Harry let his eyes roam over the four other Leshy. All redheads, which was common for their kind. They had either hazel or brown eyes. And for the most part, they looked like regular, well-dressed people. The two women had long hair, pulled back in braids. The two men had the same, short-cropped military-style cut. And all four of them wore black suits with white shirts. Bland. Even by his standards. Mostly because they all looked the same. And their power was not nearly as imposing as Leonid’s. Sure, they were still Leshy, and as a group, they could do some real damage. But Harry didn’t feel wary about them. Not even a little. “So now that that’s out of the way,” Leonid spoke up, clasping his hands together and rubbing his palms, “What say we all have a seat.” He pulled out a high-backed rolling chair from the table and sat with a plop, the rest of the Leshy following suit.

Harry had to fight the urge to punch the man on principle alone. 

Leonid Kuznetsov was annoying as fuck. 

Harry sat first, everyone else taking that as their cue. But he could feel their wariness. No one liked this situation. Everyone was on guard. In all fairness, the only reason any of his people were even remotely in danger was because he’d marked them. If he hadn’t, they could have come and gone freely through Leshy territory and none of this would be happening to them. Only to him. But he also knew the risks of not marking them. There were far more terrifying things than a territorial ginger douchebag.

“Anyone ever tell you that you look really unapproachable?” Leonid mused out loud once they were all situated, watching Harry with far too much humor in his eyes.

“And yet, here you are.” Harry deadpanned. It made Leonid laugh, heartily. 

“Oh, shit.” He let out a breath and shook his head, still smiling. “Alright. Down to business, shall we?” Leonid said simply, folding his hands and relaxing them on top of the table. “What do you know about Leech?” He was looking directly at Harry, having sat across from one another. Harry raised a brow.

“Why?” He asked, watching the other man’s face. It was ever amused but with a seriousness to his gaze that Harry didn’t like.

“It’s a pretty simple question, Doctor.” Leonid responded. 

“They’re energy vampires.” He eased out, folding his arms and relaxing back in his chair. Leonid waited, as though he expected him to say more. But Harry was far from being in the ‘game-playing’ mood.

“Okay… let me elaborate on the question. What is the entirety of what you know about Leech?” He almost sounded annoyed. It gave Harry a small sense of triumph.

“They’re passive, harmless. There aren’t many of them. And they prefer to remain unknown by just about everyone. Even their own kind.” Which was only a portion of what he knew. Leonid nodded lightly.

“Passive and harmless, eh.” He stated, reaching one hand to his left. One of the other Leshy pulled an envelope out of their suit jacket, handing it to Leonid who then instantly tossed it across the table toward Harry. At first, he just looked at it. Then he unfolded his arms, picking it up and turning it. It was business-sized but thick, like it had more in it than it could almost hold. He opened it and pulled out a stack of photos. And the images were… well, startling to say the least.

“What the fuck…” Harry mumbled as he began to flip through them.

“Right?” Leonid said, folding his hands again. “Some crazy shit right there.” Harry looked at him without moving his head. 

“You’re saying a Leech did this. To all these people.” He pushed. 

Each picture was of a different deceased person. Female, male, young, old, different nationalities. It didn’t seem to matter. There was no real pattern that Harry could see beyond how they’d died. And it wasn’t pleasant. Each person had been reduced to something like a husk. Skin and bones. Nothing more. It was hard to see them as having been people once. 

“Leech don’t feed like this.” Harry set the pictures down on the table, pushing them toward the Leshy. “They’re not killers.”

“Under most circumstances, I would agree with you. However,” He reached forward, grabbing the pictures. “This Leech appears to be… a little insane.”

“A little?” Caitlin breathed out. She was gripping the arms of her chair so hard, her knuckles were completely blanched. Leonid looked at her, for the first time really taking her in. He roamed his eyes all over her, examining. 

“You’re a healer. You of all people should be able to understand what I’m about to say.” He looked from her to Harry again. “This Leech isn’t normal. She’s gone completely off the deep end. She kills for fun. She drains people dry. And it doesn’t seem to matter when or where or why. I can’t explain why she’s gone psycho, but she is dangerous. She’s murdering people. And I need her stopped.” Harry smiled slowly at that. There it was. The ‘favor.’

“So stop her.” He flatly put out. “You don’t need me for that.” 

“Actually, I do.” Leonid pushed up from the table, pacing away, his hands slipping into his pockets. “Unlike you, my people and I have energy she can actually consume. She’s already killed one of us when he attempted to stop her.” That surprised Harry, just a little. 

“How is that possible?” He demanded, turning his chair to keep watching Leonid. “Leshy are far stronger than Leech will ever be.”

“Under most circumstances, you’d be correct.” Leonid stopped at a low table, leaning his rear against it. “But this Leech is different. She’s… powerful.” He seemed almost angered by the word. “We think it’s because she’s fed so often and so much.”

“Powerful, how?”

“She isn’t physically stronger. But her ability to bend energy to her will is… incredibly formidable. She killed my man Rolph without breaking a sweat. It’s why I need you. She can’t affect you. Your energy is toxic to her.” He sighed then, lifting a hand up to rub at his forehead a moment. “This isn’t something I’m asking lightly, Doctor Wells. I know what you are. I know that part of you wants to help.” He dropped his hand. And Harry stilled, brows slowly furrowing.

“What do you mean, you know what he is?” Iris asked, speaking up for the first time. Leonid glanced at her, raising a brow.

“It’s pretty obvious, don’t you think?” Leonid motioned to Harry. “He’s a revenant.”

Every single one of his people stiffened, except for Cisco who just smelled of confusion. He’d been very quiet beside Harry, until now.

“What’s a revenant?” He asked, looking from the Leshy to Harry. For a moment, Harry didn’t say anything, just sighed a little.

“It’s a vampire with a human soul.” He said softly. It wasn’t that it was anything he’d actively tried to hide from his people. Those who knew him personally knew exactly what he was. But saying the word out loud invited all kinds of bad. Vampires didn’t like revenants. As a rule. They killed any they found. Keeping the word from being spoken was an effective way to keep anyone Harry didn’t want knowing from finding out. 

“Okay… why is that a big deal?” Cisco prodded. Harry reached over and squeezed his knee lightly.

“I’ll explain later. I promise. But right now,” He pushed back from the table and out of his chair, standing, moving toward Leonid who just watched him in slight amusement, “I’ll help you. Under one condition.”

“You’re not really in a position to negotiate, Wells.” Leonid stated, but there was no conviction in his tone. 

“I wouldn’t say that. As you so very clearly explained, Leech can’t hurt me. I can stop her. And I will.” He put his hands on his hips, watching Leonid’s hazel eyes. “If you tell me everything you know about Tess.” Slowly, Leonid smiled. 

“A small price to pay.” The Leshy reached forward and smacked Harry amicably on the shoulder. “I think I’m going to enjoy this, ya know?” He stepped away from the vampire. “Meet me back here tonight, around nine. Alone. I’ll tell you everything you want to know.” He didn’t say another word, just snapped his fingers and headed for the door, the four other Leshy standing and exiting behind him. Harry watched the double doors close and felt the agitated silence build in the room.

“Okay, someone care to explain what just happened?” Cisco demanded, placing his palms flat on the table. Barry relaxed back in his chair, letting out a deep breath and folding his hands behind his head. Jesse stood up instantly and moved toward Harry, wrapping her arms around him without a word. It surprised him a little, making his expression soften as he held her. 

“You can’t do this.” Caitlin stood up. She sounded angry, her face was set in an expression of worry. “You gave your word.”

“Snow.” He said softly, letting a deep breath expel from his lungs. “This isn’t the same. You know that.”

“You’re still going to kill someone!” She snapped. And he clenched his jaw, letting Jesse go and moving toward the table. 

“You think I want this?” He demanded. “You think I enjoy the idea of taking a life?!” Caitlin winced at the tone of his voice. “We’re in their territory, Snow!” He motioned to the doors wide with one hand. “It’s a shitty situation, but it _is_ the situation. And if half of what he says is true, and I can do something to stop people from dying?” He pointed to the pile of photos. Her eyes moved to them quietly. “Then I’m sure as shit going to.”

“You want to do it because you can get something out of it.” She stated numbly, looking back at him, her expression tight. It was like a slap in the face. He stood completely still for a moment, then felt Jesse’s hand on his back. 

“Yes, Snow. I’m getting information out of it. I saw the opportunity and I took it.” He glared at her, hard. He could feel his anger boiling, and even some sense of hurt. But he was what he was. Even in this. “I keep my promises. But this has to be done. You know it. Everyone knows it. You don’t get to judge me. Ever.” And he turned away from all of them, moving to the doors and pushing them open loudly, exiting without looking back to see if the doors closed or to hear what any of them had to say.

Harry was under no illusions. 

Part of him was eager, part of him wanted this. To kill. To feel hot, fresh blood between his fingers. It was a part of himself that he lived with, that burned beneath the surface far more than he dared to acknowledge. It was a part he fought because he hated it so damn much. 

Snow was right, he’d made a promise. That he wouldn’t kill anyone, ever. A promise he’d made not just to her, but to all of them, and to himself. The hard reality was, the Leshy had the ability and the power to kill all of them, and to leave him suffering. Harry _had_ to protect his people. He wasn’t like other vampires, but he was still a vampire and everything that went with that. Including the dark and terrible parts. And if he got something in the process of doing this ‘favor’ for the Leshy, like information on Tess… and finally appeasing this one terrible hunger… then so be it. 

Snow could hate him for it if she wanted. 

_Fuck_ , they all could.

But at least they’d be alive to do so…

* * *

Cisco had tried very hard to keep quiet, to just listen and retain since he was really out of the loop on a lot of this stuff. But by the end of it all, he felt like he had way more concerns and questions than he’d begun with. Which, honestly, didn’t bode well. “What just happened?” He asked, a brow raised, looking from person to person slowly. There was so much heaviness in the air, he could practically taste it. He let his eyes stop on the still open double doors. Jesse went to them, closing them one at a time and turning to look at everyone.

“You know he’s just trying to protect us.” Jesse said to Caitlin, who put her hands on her hips, frowning in response. 

“By breaking his word?” She asked sharply. Jesse took a step forward. 

“He doesn’t have a choice. You know what the Leshy will do to us, what they’re capable of. Dad can’t stop all of them. Even together, none of us are powerful enough for that sort of fight. And even if we were, this is Leshy territory! They’d never stop hunting Dad or us. And you know it.” She was angry, voice raised. 

“Caitlin, she’s right. I don’t like this, either. But Harry…” Iris shook her head a little, Barry wrapped his arm around her shoulders. “He’s doing what he has to. What he needs to. You know why, better than most anyone.” Caitlin closed her eyes a moment, then let her hands fall and sat back down with a plop.

“Y’all are being so vague that I can’t think straight.” Cisco piped up, catching everyone’s attention. Jesse sat in an empty chair across from them all with a sigh.

“Dad hasn’t killed anyone in over forty years. But he came close after my car accident. He was so… distraught and angry.” Jesse shook her head, looking down at the table.

“He went after the bus driver who’d hit the car. We got there just in time to stop him from doing something he’d regret. But it was close. Afterward, I made him promise never to kill. He’s always fought that part of himself, that specific hunger. He hates it. But in that moment, when he had that man by the throat…” Caitlin cleared her own throat a little, “I knew he wanted to do it. Not just because he was angry. But because the vampire part of him needed to.”

“Shit.” Cisco whispered, looking from one woman to the other. Then he furrowed his brows. “How is Harry not in jail? Or even on the run?” After all, if the bus driver saw what he was…

“I erased the driver’s memory of the incident.” Iris said, her voice tentative. “Harry didn’t want me to. But I didn’t really give him a choice. It was just… a really bad time for him. He made a mistake. He didn’t go through with killing him. He never would have done that under normal circumstances.”

Cisco looked from Iris to the table. “Does it hurt him?” He asked softly. Everyone looked at him quietly, confused. “To fight his hungers?”

“Sometimes.” Jesse said quietly, her voice subdued. “It’s been about a year since it’s done any real damage.”

“What kind of damage?” Cisco asked firmly. Because the idea of Harry intentionally letting himself suffer was just wrong.

“He was in a sort of… dead state… for nearly a month.” Caitlin answered. “He’d been fighting the blood hunger since the incident with the bus driver.”

“Wait, I’m confused… he still drinks blood every day.” Cisco pointed out. Jesse shook her head.

“No, that’s just… sustenance. Like food is for us. The real blood hunger is the urge to kill. To drink blood from a living person. There’s something about the act of killing that vampires actually need. It… fuels the Source somehow. And Dad doesn’t do that. He… wants to, sometimes. But he fights it. He pushes it back. Not giving into it damaged his Source. It took that whole month for him to come back from the Void.” 

Jesse’s explanation made Cisco’s blood run cold, for multiple reasons. “So he really needs this.” He muttered, “Stopping this Leech thing? He needs to do this.” The idea was terrifying. Deep down, Cisco knew damn well that Harry was capable of dark and terrible things. The fact that he’d always fought his own nature was harrowing and admirable. But Cisco never imagined Harry would actually _need_ to kill. It never occurred to him, it was never a possibility in his mind. 

But now that it was…

It made complete sense. Harry was a vampire. Sure, he had a human soul. That whole revenant thing. But he was still something made from evil. He’d explained as much to Cisco. They all had, at one point. Stopping Harry from doing what his body and energy and whatever else actually needed was like denying a parched man water until their body shut down. It wasn’t right or fair. “We have to let him.” He looked around again. Caitlin’s brows shot up, surprised. “Stopping him from killing the bus driver was the right thing to do. He’d never have forgiven himself for that. But this?” He motioned to her, “That Leech is bad news. A fricken serial killer. I don’t think it’s a bad thing to rid the world of something like that, do you?”

In a small way, he couldn’t believe the words that had come out of his mouth. Even after they’d killed his mother and brother, Cisco had never once thought of wanting the two murderers dead. But that was then, when the world was sorrow and pain and endless tortured nights. Things were different now. He was different. He had to be.

“You’re really serious.” Caitlin nearly whispered. “Harry’s not a killer.”

“Yes, he is.” Cisco said sternly, pushing away from the table. “He’s a good person, an amazing father, an incredible mentor, a loving man. And he’s also a vampire and everything that goes with that. Trying to make him be anything else hurts him, Jesse just said so. After everything he’s done for us, for me… I can’t just sit here and be okay with that.” He moved around the table then. “I need to talk to Harry.” He couldn’t stop the agitation in his voice, only pausing when Jesse reached out and grabbed his hand. 

“Cisco…” She stood up, not letting go. Then without a word she threw her arms around his neck, hugging him so tight that it nearly pitched him off balance as he attempted to hug her back. “I’m so happy he has you.” She whispered in his ear. And it made his throat tighten. When she pulled away, he just nodded at her, looked once at everyone else, and left the room as fast as his feet could take him.

So much was happening all at once, and he needed to sit down with Harry. Just Harry. He needed to hear the vampire’s side of things, to talk it out, to let Harry know that he understood. But first, he needed to find him. He stopped walking in the long hallway that lead to the gym and pool areas, and he closed his eyes. Just breathed. He’d done this twice before now, with Harry’s guidance. Feeling along the mark that Harry had given him was a singularly strange sensation. It had been really difficult at first, till he figured out he could use their whole soulmate connection as a boost. It made it possible to find Harry almost instantly. This time was no different. 

In his mind, he could see the tall man pacing their hotel room floor. His hands were behind his head, clasped at the fingers. He looked angry, which was proven correct when Harry stepped right up to a wall and put his fist into it. Afterward he blinked, raising his eyes to the ceiling with an enormous sigh and pulling his hand out, shaking the pieces of drywall off it in defeat. Cisco opened his own eyes and shook his head at what he’d just inadvertently witnessed. He could hardly blame Harry for being angry. At least he never hit people with those powerful fists. A thought that made Cisco smile adoringly before he headed up.

“Do tall people get scared when they trip? They must fall for like ten years.” Cisco said from where he stood with his hands on his hips, looking down at where Harry was laying on the floor, hands flat over his stomach, his legs crossed at the ankles and out straight. It was amusing to find Harry like that, considering Cisco’d just ‘witnessed’ him punching a wall a few minutes earlier. Harry gave a ridiculously small smile.

“I didn’t trip.” He affirmed, looking straight up at him. “It was easier to lay down. No risk I’d continue punching things.” He motioned with one hand beyond Cisco, toward the wall next to the closet where a fist-sized hole now was. Cisco chuckled, then simply joined Harry on the floor, side by side with him. He lined their shoulders up, reached over and grabbed one of Harry’s hands, held it in both of his own against his stomach. 

“You realize there is a bed literally three feet away.” Cisco commented. And Harry laughed lightly.

“That would be thinking with my logical brain, Ramon.”

“It’s so hard, I know.” Cisco grinned, staring up at the sky-painted ceiling. It was quiet after that. It was just the two of them laying there with nothing and no one to bother them. And it was… nice. Really nice. Despite the circumstances that lead them there. Circumstances he needed to talk to Harry about.

“I can hear you thinking.” Harry spoke, turning his head to look at Cisco, who turned his head to meet his gaze. 

“I told everyone I’m okay with you doing this ‘favor’ for Leonid.” He stated simply, easily, let the conviction melt into his words. Harry blinked at him, brows slowly furrowing.

“You are…” He half-stated. “Why?”

“Jesse explained what happens when you fight the blood-hunger.” He responded, taking in a deep breath and letting it out as his eyes roamed Harry’s features. “This is part of you, you need this.” Harry looked dumbfounded. Completely and utterly confused. Most of all, worried. He pulled his hand away, but only to turn and prop himself up on an elbow to look down at Cisco.

“Do you know what you’re saying, Ramon?” He demanded quietly. Cisco nodded, then shrugged, reaching up and sliding a thumb over Harry’s top lip. He could feel the canines beneath the soft flesh.

“Harry, you’re a vampire. I’m not naïve enough to think I understand everything, because I don’t. But I do understand _you._ I know how hard you fight all the things you think are terrible, how much you hate parts of what you are.” He let his hand fall, Harry watching him intently in a way that was so familiar now. “I know you _want_ to do this, that you _need_ to do this. And I know you wouldn’t even consider it if this Leech wasn’t seriously evil.” Harry shook his head slowly, his lips parting for a breath of a moment, then he sat up entirely, hanging his hands over his knees and staring over at the hole in the wall. Cisco propped himself up.

“You trust me so much.” Harry whispered. 

“You’re damn right I do.” He sat up, too, scooting close to Harry and curling a hand around his thigh. “We all do.” He looked over at the hole. “I don’t think Caitlin is able to see past the idea of death. It’s the healer in her. She can’t really help but be against it.” He rested his forehead against the side of Harry’s face, then. “But I can. You’re not evil, Harry. Needing to do this? That doesn’t make you evil, either.”

“You don’t know what it’s like.” Harry closed his eyes, reaching over and putting his hand on Cisco’s. “The pull of it… the _feel_ of it.” He clenched his jaw momentarily. “It doesn’t feel wrong in the moment. It doesn’t feel bad. It just feels… _perfect_. Which is wrong. It’s so very wrong, but I still want it. I still need it. To feel the life go out of someone, to… to taste warm, fresh blood, feeding till the heart stops.” He seemed disgusted by his own words, and it made Cisco’s throat tighten. It sounded downright terrifying, and painful. And he knew Harry hated the sheer idea of it. “It’s why I’ve fought it for so long. Why I won’t let myself…” he cleared his throat, opening his eyes, “Why I won’t kill. Because I’m afraid I’ll like it too much to be able to stop again.”

“Harry…” Cisco spoke, his voice barely above a whisper, lifting his head. Harry looked at him.

“I think in some ways, I’m like an addict. If I relapse, I’ll let myself drown. But if I have a reason behind it… something more than just needing to kill, something tangible and good…” He didn’t finish the sentence. Cisco could see him struggling, see the hurt in the vampire’s eyes. He wanted to take it all away.

“I won’t let you drown, Harry.” He said sternly. “You have me now. And you have the team. None of us are going to let you become something you’re not.”

“You sound so sure about that.” A tear escaped Harry’s eye, blood-tinged and rolling free down his cheek. It made Cisco shake his head.

“I am. As sure as I am about the fact that I can’t sit by and let you suffer, either. You need this, and I get it. And I’m okay with it. Because I know you.” He pressed their foreheads together, raising both hands and wiping at Harry’s tear as he held his face gently. “You’re not evil. You never will be. But if you can use the parts of you that are to do some good? Then I’m all in, man.” Harry shuddered a sigh at that, then raised his hands to pull Cisco into him. In mere moments, Cisco was sitting in Harry’s lap, wrapped around the taller man, Harry holding him close, his face buried in Cisco’s hair and throat.

“I love you, Cisco Ramon.” Harry whispered, the sound and feel of the words so close to his ear sending shivers everywhere that shivers could possibly go.

“I love you, too, Harrison Wells.”

They sat like that for several minutes before Cisco coaxed Harry off the floor and to the small table in their room. “Leech are vampires, in a way.” Harry had begun to explain the situation, or at least try to. “They feed off of human energy, need it to survive like I need blood. But they don’t need to kill to do it. They take what they need and most times, people don’t even notice. They just become suddenly tired, needing to sleep it off.” He relaxed back in his chair, stretching out one leg. “But those pictures…” he clenched his jaw. “I’ve only seen something like that once. It’s extreme, a complete draining of energy. It makes the body expel elements, in a sense mummifying it. But Leech don’t do that unless it’s for survival. For one of them to kill so many people… it’s unheard of, Ramon.” He was tapping the tabletop, not really looking at Cisco, thoughts swirling in his gaze. “One thing that may explain it… this Leech may be old. Very old. They don’t normally live past a few hundred years. Their minds begin to break down after that point, and most simply lose the ability to feed.” He looked up at Cisco, “What if this one has reached that point, or beyond, and is trying to stave off the inevitable outcome?”

“You said you’ve seen this once before?” Cisco asked, a question for a question. He was trying to retain it all, to understand. Harry was quiet, thoughts tossed back and forth in his gaze. Then he let his hand fall to his lap.

“Yes. In eighteen thirty-one.” He began, “Her name was Sara Grayson. She was… a friend.” He sighed, leaning forward and folding his hands, his forearms against the table. “She found me right after Tess and I fell out. She and I traveled together for many, many years. Looking out for each other. She taught me how to live among people again, and I kept her safe.” He smiled a little at the thought. “But then she got sick. It reminds me of dementia now. Her mind grew… fragile, confused. She lost so much of who she was, so quickly. And she began to feed for the sake of just remembering how.” He shook his head sadly. “I tried to stop her. To get her to see what she was doing. She had a brief moment of clarity and begged me to… to release her.”

“Shit, man. I’m so sorry.” Cisco’s tone was hushed.

“It was one of the hardest things I’ve ever done.” Harry looked at him and shrugged a little. “But she’d been so good to me. Taught me how to survive. How to live like this. I couldn’t let her suffer.” Cisco couldn’t imagine just how hard all that had actually been. But he could relate, a little, to watching someone he cared about losing who they were. He reached across the table and took Harry’s hand, stroking his knuckles. 

“My dad had an inoperable brain tumor, right up against his brainstem. It just kept getting bigger, eating away at his brain. Near the end, he couldn’t recognize any of us, couldn’t talk, couldn’t even feed himself.” Harry’s expression softened. “He didn’t want to live on machines, that was the big thing that stuck with me. Before he lost himself, he made sure we all knew. That if machines were going to be the only thing keeping him alive, then he didn’t want to live. I can’t imagine what it was like for you, to have to end Sara’s life for her. But I can relate, a little… I think.” Harry smiled lightly at him, his eyes were so loving that it warmed Cisco head to toe. 

“I’m sorry about your father, Ramon. Truly.” He pulled Cisco’s hand into his. “That being said, I’m grateful for your understanding.”

“No big.” He smiled back. “I do have a question, though.” Harry nodded. “Are you really going to that meeting alone tonight? That Leo dude is a grade-A douche.” Harry chuckled at that, shaking his head in amusement.

“It’s what he asked for.”

“Yeah, well… I don’t like it. I’m comin with.”

“Ramon, no.” Harry’s tone was stern, but Cisco just shook his head in defiance. 

“Weren’t you the one who said we should all stick together while we’re in Leshy territory?” He countered. Harry raised a brow.

“I meant that for all of you.”

“Uh uh, nope. What’s good for the goose is good for the… duck… or whatever.” Cisco declared, not really caring what the saying actually was.

“Gander.”

“What the hell is a gander?” Cisco asked brusquely, making Harry grin at him, his pointed canines visible.

“You are absolutely ridiculous.”

“Yeah, yeah. You love it, you know it. And I’m still going with you.”

Harry shook his head and stood, pulling his hand away and rounding the table. He bent over, placing one hand on the back of Cisco’s chair and one on the tabletop, invading Cisco’s space. He let his eyes roam over Cisco’s form. Down, and back up in a slow line. “I will strip you naked, hide your clothes, and tie you to that bed to keep you from going anywhere.” Well, _fuck_. That sounded… well part of it sounded amazing, actually. But Cisco blinked, trying to read Harry’s expression. It was classically blank.

“You’re joking…” He managed to get out. And Harry’s gaze became solid as he leaned in that much more, his mouth a breath away from Cisco’s.

“That would be uncharacteristic of me.” He whispered, his grated voice sifting around Cisco, just before he kissed him. The connecting of their mouths was slow, languid, sultry in every possible way. So much so that Harry could tie him up any which way he wanted, and Cisco wouldn’t even fight it. And he only realized that was the whole point of this as the kiss ended. Harry was trying to seduce him into compliance. 

“Oh my god!” Cisco shoved at Harry’s shoulder, “I can’t believe that almost worked!” Harry laughed at that, standing up with complete and utter amusement taking over his features. “You dick!” Cisco stood up, smiling despite himself. “I am coming with you. And you are going to let me, or I swear I will hold sex from you for a month.” He stated firmly, crossing his arms, attempting to use Iris’ go-to threat (which always seemed to work against Barry.) It only made Harry laugh harder, reaching up and smoothing Cisco’s hair back before he kissed Cisco’s forehead soothingly. 

“You win.” Harry winked at him. “But only because now I really want to see what you’re like tied to a bed.” 

Cisco couldn’t argue with that. He honestly wanted to try that, too. _Eh hem._ But it would have to wait, unfortunately. They needed to smooth things over with the team. Harry needed to feed again. And honestly, Cisco was getting kinda hungry himself. It was almost weird how easily he was falling into all this now, how normal it all felt. And something about that made him happy. Because if this was all just par for the course, he had a very wonderful notion that there wasn’t anything they couldn’t get through together. 

That alone comforted him, made him feel ready to take on everything. 

As long as he had the team to fall back on, as long as he was side by side with Harry, then there was nothing that could bring him down…


	13. “What things?”

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> After the meeting with the Leshy, Cisco and Harry experience an intense first with one another. 
> 
> But the next morning brings a frightening new revelation into the mix.
> 
> Something is very wrong with the vampire Cisco loves, and no one has any answers...
> 
> (Warning: Mentions of blood, explicit sexual scenario.

The meeting with Leonid had been informative. In more ways than one. 

At first, the Leshy hadn’t been too keen on the fact Ramon was there with them. But his curiosity won him over, the red-headed man finding Cisco’s eagerness to be at Harry’s side intriguing for some reason. Having Ramon there definitely kept Harry on his best behavior. Or close to it. He didn’t like Leonid one bit. And the urge to voice that was enormous. But Cisco’s presence kept Harry calm, kept him from doing something he’d probably regret. He was grateful for that. Especially when they began talking about Tess.

Leonid decided to tell him everything he knew about the female vampire before giving him the download on the Leech. Apparently, Tess had made her way into his territory about nine years prior. She’d followed all the protocol, acted like a ‘good little vamp girl,’ as Leonid had said. She had been in Niagara Falls for nearly three weeks on business, though try as he might Leonid couldn’t figure out exactly what that business had been. 

Tess was good at covering her tracks, at leaving breadcrumbs that lead nowhere, and dancing around the truth like it was a talent. The only thing Leonid had figured out was exactly where she’d gone before she finally left Niagara. A homeless shelter on the outskirts of town. She’d spent the entire day there before disappearing, leaving only a note on a cork board saying she’d be in touch. It was all so vague and rather disappointing that Harry wanted to punch a wall again. 

Tess had called Leonid as a ‘courtesy’ when she learned where Harry and his team were going. How she’d learned that was still a mystery. One that weighed heavily on Harry. She had, no doubt, been watching him again for a while. And more than that… he had a feeling she had connections within S.T.A.R. Labs, a thought that made his insides boil. He’d always been good to his people, to his employees. He made damn sure of it. The idea that one of them could betray him was infuriating. 

None of the information Leonid gave him really got him anywhere. But the Leshy had kept up his end of the bargain. Which meant Harry had to keep his. 

The Leech was a tall woman, almost as tall as Harry, from what the stills from the surveillance cameras showed. She had her hair shaved down, but with the black and white images, it was hard to tell what color it was. She had white eyes. Completely. Like every Leech in existence. But it was a little confusing to see out in the open like that. Leech could ‘glamour’ their eyes, make them appear to have irises and pupils. This Leech didn’t seem to care if anyone saw what she was. She was dressed in dirty jeans and a ratty dark sweatshirt with ‘Niagara Falls’ in white on the front. As Harry had already surmised, there was no pattern to her killing. It seemed she was an opportunist, taking whoever came along. And she always killed at night. 

Leech didn’t have the aversion to daylight like vampires did. But they did have more energy at night than during the day. The darkness made them stronger, at least metaphysically.

A map of her kills showed she stayed close to the less developed area of Niagara, a wide stretch of homes and apartment complexes that were spread unevenly and reminded Harry of the poorer parts of Central City. A lot like where Cisco had lived before coming to S.T.A.R. Labs. It wouldn’t be simple to find the Leech in such a large area, but if he prepared enough, he could narrow in on her energy. 

It was all a lot to think about. To plan for. And he did both in the quiet of the hotel room, watching Ramon sleep. It was nearly two in the morning, and though Harry should have rested, he couldn’t rid himself of the agitation, of the idea that everyone he cared about was hovering in a space between safety and danger. He chose, instead, to sit in the chair tucked in the corner, the darkness hiding him as his eyes lingered on the man sleeping in the bed. There was a certain comfort, seeing Cisco laying there, breathing steadily, hearing his heartbeat thudding along healthily. His face was at ease, peaceful. Calm. It was proof that he was safe. Maybe even happy. God, Harry hoped he was happy.

‘ _You are a marvel_ …’ he thought, though didn’t break the silence. He was completely still, even unblinking. He’d learned long ago how to hide in the dark. No one would know he was there unless he wanted them to. It was more than just staying still, making no noise. He had a sort of relationship with darkness and shadows. 

Every vampire had gifts unique to themselves, usually stemming from who they had been as humans. Tess, for example, could read the minds of humans. Though she couldn’t read the minds of gifted and preturnaturals, which was a very good thing where they were all concerned. Harry surmised this was her gift because she’d always been intuitive about people as a human. She’d always been able to read what a person was thinking or feeling. Not mind reading, not really. But it had to be why that was her gift as a vampire. 

His gift, however, was what Martin called ‘shadow-walking.’ It was a simple enough term, but fit it well. Harry never quite understood why he could do what he did. Why the darkness and shadows bent to his will. 

When he was a small boy, he’d hated the darkness. Had been absolutely terrified of it until he had grown older and realized that darkness was simply another state of being for all things. As a vampire, darkness was essential. At least it had been, back when he’d first been turned. It was easier now, to live in the light and be among people. But back then, darkness had been his safe haven for a very long time. 

Still, it had often disconcerted him… the hold he had on shadows, the strength the dark gave him. Unlike others of his kind, who received gifts of psychic ability or elemental power, he was able to use the darkness as a weapon, as an escape, as a means to an end. Eventually, he learned to accept it. But he’d never quite gotten an answer for why he had it.

It would come in handy with the Leech, that was for certain. A thought he lingered on, eyes drifting from Ramon to the floor as he went over and over in his mind how to find her.

“I can’t see you.” He heard Ramon’s soft voice after a short while. “But I can feel you…” He seemed confused, uneasy. Harry blinked and breathed, let air fill his lungs. “Holyhannah!” Cisco startled, Harry’s outline suddenly melting into existence in what little light the outside world offered through the curtains. Harry could see him sitting up in bed quickly. “How’d you do that?!” He demanded, reaching over and turning on the bedside lamp. Harry quickly shut his eyes, clenching his jaw a little against the onslaught of light before he let the air out of his lungs and looked at Ramon. He shook his head a little.

“Sorry. I didn’t want to disturb you…” He said, leaning forward a little and resting his forearms on his knees. Cisco raised both brows.

“So you decided to go invisible?” Cisco prodded, raising a hand and dragging it through his hair, looking Harry over like he was making sure Harry was really there. His eyes looked fuzzy with sleep, but he was very awake now. Harry smiled a little, looking down at the floor momentarily. 

“I can manipulate the dark. It’s a talent that I received when I was turned.” He watched Cisco’s steadily waking gaze as he listened. It made Harry shake his head a little. “There’s still so much you don’t know about me.” His expression sunk, downcast at the idea, the heaviness of it striking him the moment the words left his mouth. He cleared his throat a little, straightening and standing. Cisco watched him every moment, but his expression had taken on a doleful quality. “There’s so much that you should.” Ramon nodded, then pushed his back against the headboard and held a hand out to him.

“Then tell me.”

Harry’s smile was slow. He let his eyes roam over Cisco’s disheveled hair and sleepy eyes. He was wearing a gray t-shirt that said, ‘I’m Not Short, I’m Concentrated Awesome’ along with a pair of blue and black plaid sleep pants. There was nothing about Ramon at that moment that wasn’t adorable. Harry couldn’t help but take his hand and sit beside him, Ramon instantly tucking into his side and resting his head on Harry’s shoulder. “You should still be sleeping. It’s not even close to sunrise.”

“How do you know when sunrise is?” Cisco yawned a little, stifling it with his free hand before sighing lightly, getting even more comfortable against the vampire.

“I can feel it, like an itch in the back of my skull.” He tried to explain. “I’m not sure how to describe how it feels in a way that will make sense. But I surmised about a hundred years ago that it has to do with the sun’s effect on Earth’s magnetic fields, which all preturnaturals are in tune with to an extent.”

“Have you tried to find a scientific answer to everything?” There was warm humor in Cisco’s tone. It made Harry smile a little, resting his cheek against Ramon’s head.

“People like to attribute things they don’t understand to religion or magic. I was never like that, even when I was young. I grew up in a time when religion was everything and scientific discovery was barely recognized. But I always knew if there were questions, real answers had to be fought for. Everything had a definitive, tangible explanation that wasn’t a god or demons or pixie dust. Of course, that wasn’t always accepted. Not that I cared, then or now. The good thing about science is that it’s true whether or not people believe in it.” 

“When life gives you lemons, construct a crude electrochemical battery.” Ramon responded, and it made Harry’s smile brighten. The fact that Cisco was an intelligent man, able to see what logic and understanding could provide to people, was -in Harry’s opinion- sexy as hell. 

“Exactly. Never stop questioning. Never stop searching for answers. The world is full of things people don’t understand. But that doesn’t mean we have to settle for ignorance.”

“I’m not settling, ya know.” He heard Cisco’s voice soften, felt his head lift, forcing Harry to lift his own. The shorter man met his confused gaze. “I know there’s a lot about you… hundreds of years of stuff that I don’t know. I _want_ to know. I’m not just pretending like it all didn’t happen, or that it’s beyond me.”

“That’s… not what I meant, Ramon.” He offered, lifting a hand and stroking Cisco’s cheekbone with his thumb before resting his palm there. The rush of warmth from his skin into his cooler hand was intoxicating. His own personal drug. 

“I know.” Cisco smiled, lifting a hand to put it over Harry’s. “I’m the king of the segue.” He winked, and Harry shook his head a little, letting Cisco pull his hand into his lap. “We have time, Harry. Time to figure all this out. Time for me to learn all the stuff about you that I don’t know. I have questions. A serious amount of them.” He let his head relax against the headboard, watching Harry every second. “But I’m not in a rush.”

“It doesn’t bother you, being with someone you know so little about?” Harry needed to know. Cisco blinked at him, then let his eyes roam thoughtfully over Harry’s face.

“If it wasn’t you, it probably would.”

“You say that often.” Harry relaxed his head back, too, holding Cisco’s beautiful stare.

“It’s the truth. _You_ make the difference, Harry. Everything you say and do, everything you are…” Cisco let out a deep sigh, “If you weren’t you… I don’t think any of this would be easy. I think I would have gone off the deep end or panicked myself into oblivion long before now. But the truth is… you make it easy. You accept me, and see me, and are so goddamn patient. You’re kind and respectful and loving.” His dark eyes sparkled with the sentiment, making Harry instantly sigh softly, “You’re everything I have ever wanted. And then some.” Harry felt a rush go through him, a tornado of emotions that gripped him and whipped him around. It was so sudden and startling that he barely had time to recognize it for what it was: an undoing of sorts. Ramon had that effect on him constantly. He was so good at opening the doors on the things Harry had locked away or tried to hide. Now was no different, it seemed. Because before Harry even wanted to stop himself, he was just spilling it out for Ramon to catch.

“No one has ever thought of me as you do.” Harry felt his chest ache a little. It was strange, to think in all these hundreds of years, he had never felt anything as powerful as what he felt for this man. “People… they see the darkness. The cold instinct. The harsh way I tend to navigate the world.” He looked down at their combined hands. “I don’t know why I’m like this. I always have been, even when I was human. Though it was never to this extent. I don’t know how to… to let people in. To be anything else but this hard, angry thing.” He sounded spiteful, even to himself. It made Cisco shift beside him, sitting up straighter and putting both hands on Harry’s face, forcing him to look at him. He searched Cisco’s eyes and swallowed a little, continuing before Ramon could interject. “But with you…” he whispered, reaching a hand up and trailing his fingers along the mark on Cisco’s throat. It made Ramon breathe deeply. “With you, it was like blinking. So natural, I didn’t realize it was happening. You make me better. You make me feel things…” he clenched his jaw momentarily. “And you make me want things. Things I have always fought or thought I should never try to have.” Ramon was quiet, thinking, his brows furrowing in small increments.

“What things?” He finally asked, smoothing his hands down to Harry’s shoulders, the intensity of his stare making Harry’s breathing still momentarily.

“I have never… I…” he found himself failing at words, sitting up a little more, bringing himself and Ramon closer, “Sex was always just a way to fill a hunger. You know why I stopped pursuing it. But then you appeared. And it wasn’t just sex I wanted. Not from you.” He felt Ramon shudder a little. “I wanted to touch you, to please you… every inch of you, I wanted to own you… and to belong to you.” He closed his eyes at the mere memory of their first time together. 

“And feeding… denying myself that was to protect other people. But I couldn’t say no to you. I wanted to taste you like that, to feel my teeth inside your flesh…” his voice sounded awed, even to him. He opened his eyes, well aware his expression would look hungry. He didn’t count on Cisco’s expression mirroring his own. “And now you’re so willing to let me kill… to feed that hunger using the Leech. No one else would… would be so accepting. They’d see me as the monster I am.” 

He pulled Cisco into him quickly then, feeling Cisco’s heart speed up instantly, “It’s you, Ramon. You’ve turned me inside out, you’ve seen things that others won’t even dare to think about. And now you’re looking at me like this…” He reached a hand up, tracing his fingers below one of Cisco’s eyes. “ _Fuck_ , Ramon… do you know what you are to me? You’re the greatest hunger of my life…” he breathed that last part out. “I don’t want to fight you. I want you to take everything I am, to let me do all I can to you, to let me ruin you.” He nearly bared his fangs at the last words. “To let you ruin me.”

He wasn’t sure how this conversation had gone in this direction. He knew the things he was saying were… well, frightening. They had to be, right? He was pretty sure anyone else would think so. But Ramon? He was breathing heavily, his pupils were wide, his need was permeating the air. He’d gone from lazy and comfortable to lustful and wanting so fast that it made Harry’s head spin. But there was more than that. Harry could taste the energy in the air, the feeling of pure acceptance and love. Real, tangible love. How could this man love him so much? Why didn’t he see him as the monster he was, especially now, when he’d laid out his awful hungers for him to see?

Harry gripped Cisco hard, picked him up, and practically tossed him into the mattress, the man bouncing a little, gasping hard beneath him as he pressed his longer body on top of his. He gripped Cisco’s wrists tightly and pinned them down, staring at Ramon with teeth slightly bared. “I’m a monster, Cisco Ramon, and you know it.” He brought his face down, nuzzled Cisco’s head to the side, breathed in the skin of his throat, brought his mouth to the rapidly jumping pulse there.

“Oh, _god!_ ” Ramon moaned. Actually fucking moaned. Cisco’s hips bucked into him instantly. Harry scraped the skin of his throat with his teeth, unable to stop the loud growl that came out of his chest. Cisco’s whole body tightened, his hands curling into fists as Harry held him down. There was no fear. Just want, need, the smell of heat and lust, covered in a drowning love that made Harry squeeze his eyes shut and loosen his hold. He pushed up, straddling Cisco’s hips, letting Ramon’s wrists go, seeing instantly the red marks there from his grip. He roamed his eyes over Cisco’s parted lips, the heavy rise and fall of his chest, the way Ramon’s eyes held onto the sight of Harry’s still slightly visible fangs. Ramon pushed up onto his elbows, an expression of frustration taking over his features.

“What I would do to you… _all_ I would do to you if I let myself… if you let me…” Harry whispered, reaching forward with both hands and sliding his fingers into Cisco’s hair. “You don’t know.” He closed his eyes and dropped his hands to his own thighs. He felt Cisco shift, sit up more, wrap his arms around Harry’s torso, pull them flush together. He didn’t dare open his eyes.

“I would let you. _I would let you do all of it_.” Cisco whispered roughly along his throat, the warm breath on his skin making him shudder instantly and reach out to grip Ramon’s upper arms firmly. “You’re wrong, Harry. You’re not a monster. But parts of you are monstrous, and… _and fuck_ …” he mouthed at Harry’s throat, his tongue swiping out and tasting his cool skin. It made him suck in a breath, his head tilting back to give Cisco access. “I _want_ those parts. I want it all. All of _you_.” He sucked at the spot where Harry’s throat met his collar bone. “I want you to fuck me and feed from me. Leave bruises. _Use me up_. Because that’s what you want, that’s what you are. And I know…” He brought his mouth away, Harry blinking his eyes open and meeting Ramon’s stare, “I know you would never truly hurt me. You would never kill me. Because you love me.” Harry blinked at him. And Cisco nodded once. “You heard me. You love me, and I know it. Of all the things I don’t know, I do know that. And it’s _enough_ for me, Harry.”

There was no logic involved in what happened next, no need to hunt for answers, no desperate search to understand. Because permission was given to be what he was. And he wasn’t going to waste that. 

He forced Cisco down without a word, pinned him to the bed, grabbed his hair with one hard hand, and yanked his head to the side. It made Cisco’s heart rampage, a mix of longing, and the first sensation of fear Harry had ever experienced from him. But it wasn’t fear of Harry. He wasn’t sure how he knew it. Whatever it was of, however, that fear surged Harry on. He growled low and loud, holding Cisco in place with his body and hands, and plunged his teeth into Ramon’s throat. 

Cisco instantly cried out, bucked his hips up, reached his only free hand up and gripped onto Harry’s hair as he damn near hyperventilated.

Harry tasted blood, drew it in, swallowed it down, and pushed energy into Ramon over and over. _Goddamn_ , his blood was heaven. Warm and tinged with every element that made up Cisco Ramon. He’d tasted blood from all kinds of people. But there was something different about Cisco’s, something so delicious and inebriating that it made Harry wonder, for a split second, if something was in Ramon’s blood to make Harry want it more than usual. That thought fled the more of it he drew into his mouth, the more he felt his Source flourish because of the sustenance it provided.

Even in this state of need and hunger, Harry had the sense of mind to make sure it didn’t hurt Ramon. That energy filled the shorter man up, spread to his nerves, lit him up from the inside out in ecstasy. It was that same electric surge that he’d made Cisco feel the last time he’d fed from him, but he didn’t focus it on just one spot of Ramon’s body. He pushed it everywhere. It made Cisco cry out in ragged sounds, hand getting tighter in Harry’s hair till his whole body spasmed and his breath caught, one long yell escaping his mouth. Only then did Harry pull his fangs out. But he didn’t pull his mouth away, laving his tongue over the two open wounds. Cisco’s hand fell from his hair, his body becoming limp, his chest heaving. Harry could smell the scent of Cisco’s orgasm, soaking his pajama pants. But he didn’t care. Ramon didn’t seem to care, either. Or he was too spent to be able to.

After that, Harry sat up, moved off, wordlessly yanking Ramon’s pajama pants off. It made Cisco gasp, cling to the blankets, his eyes blinking heavily in startlement. Harry didn’t give him time to think, time to react. He just licked at Ramon’s spent cock, tasting all he’d given, cleaning him with his mouth before bringing his dick into his mouth. It made Cisco’s eyes squeeze shut, made his head go back, trickles of blood rolling down into the mattress from the bite on his throat. “ _Fuck, fuck, fuck_ …” Ramon whispered. 

Cisco could have said ‘stop.’ Could have told Harry, ‘Enough.’ And Harry would have stopped. He would have let it all go. Would have forced his hunger down and whipped another lash into his Source for the trouble. Because Ramon was right… _Harry loved him_. Heart, mind, body, soul… Harrison Wells loved Cisco Ramon beyond all reason and thought and understanding. But Cisco never asked him to stop. Didn’t tell him ‘no’ when he ever so slightly nicked the soft flesh of Ramon’s dick with his fangs, causing tiny dots of blood to pool. He worked at Cisco’s cock, pushing energy in through that nick, waking Cisco’s dick back up. 

Then he stood up off the bed, yanked Ramon toward him, reached down, and pulled Ramon’s t-shirt straight off. Cisco’s whole body was flushed red, the bite in his neck leaving a trail of blood where he’d been dragged. His whole body was shaking tremendously. Harry growled at the sight of him. He was fucking delicious. And Harry wanted _more_. 

He stripped himself quickly, Ramon watching the whole time, tongue sliding across his lips like he was parched. Harry found the lube, stroking it over his own hardness, then pouring some onto Ramon’s hole. He yanked Cisco more toward him, flipping him onto his stomach. He didn’t bother stretching him. He didn’t warn Ramon that he wouldn’t. He crawled over him and pushed in, tightly and harsh. Ramon yelled out, gripping the covers so hard his knuckles blanched. Harry heard him bite down on the blankets once Harry was all the way inside. Only then did he pause, the sensations of Ramon’s hot, tight insides burning through his throbbing cock.

He reached up, delicately for the first time since this started, and brushed Cisco’s hair aside, revealing the bite. He brought his mouth to it, licking softly, tasting the iron and copper of the blood that was still weeping from each small, round hole. It made Cisco shiver, made him relax underneath him. Bit by bit, Ramon’s hands let up, his jaw unclenched, his head lifted just enough to breathe better. Harry could still feel that slight pang of fear in the air. He brought his mouth away, shifting his hips a little, making Ramon gasp. “You’re afraid.” He whispered by his ear. “I can smell your fear, Ramon.” His voice was grated and gravelly, suffocating in need. 

“Not of you… never of you…” Cisco breathed out, voice hushed as though being too loud with words was a bad thing. “I’m… I’m afraid…” Cisco’s words turned into another moan as Harry shifted again, sliding his dick out a little.

“Afraid of what?” He demanded, rising up and pushing back in. He planted his hands to either side of Cisco’s head, sinking into the mattress. Cisco moaned at every move like he was raw and every nerve felt too damn much.

“Of… of losing… you…” he panted out.

_Fuck._

Those words were ludicrous. And yet… they weren’t, were they. Harry was afraid of the same damn thing. He didn’t want to lose Ramon, ever. He didn’t think he could function without him anymore. He didn’t think he could live without his humor or smiles or understanding or touches or eyes or intelligence or laughter or kisses or… shit, the list was endless. He wanted Ramon with him forever. He wanted all of him. Good, bad, and otherwise. Which meant Harry understood exactly why Ramon was afraid. 

“Never.” He growled, closing his eyes. “I’m going to Bond you, Ramon. All you have to do is ask…” And he began to thrust. _Hard_. The sound of flesh against flesh became like music, Ramon’s cries and moans filling the voids in between. He’d never been so rough with Cisco before. Had never dared. He knew he was strong enough to really do damage to a human body during sex, so even in this he was keeping himself at bay. But to let go with even this much abandon was exhilarating. 

He could feel the sensation of pain in the air… Ramon’s. But it was a pain that Cisco seemed to be enjoying because between his moans, he said things like ‘don’t stop’ and ‘yes!’ Not once had Harry ever imagined that Cisco would be into this, never even bothered to ask. He’d always been so caught up in treating Ramon like he was the most fragile creature in existence, needing to be treated delicately. It never occurred to him that Cisco might want more. But he knew now. Felt it. Knew he would probably _beg_ for the chance to do this all again.

He lowered himself after a few minutes, bringing his mouth back to the bite. The wounds had started to clot. He bit back in without asking. It made Cisco let out a sound that was close to a scream, his whole body nearly spasming beneath Harry as he continued thrusting, harsh snaps of his hips in and out as he drank some more. He felt his own orgasm reach its peak, demanding to let go. He pushed back in hard and almost painfully the same time he forced a massive amount of energy into Ramon’s body. It made Ramon come instantly, the man beneath him shaking uncontrollably, tears pooling out of his eyes as Harry slowed, removed his fangs, let go.

He collapsed on top of Ramon completely, taking in very calculated breaths before pulling out. He didn’t want to wait to do that. Cisco would be too raw once the high came down. The action did make Cisco gasp and bury his face into the covers as Harry rolled onto his back.

He laid there with his eyes closed, senses coming back to him, quiet settling around them. The smell of blood and sex had soaked into the air like a sponge. The bed was a mess, and Cisco definitely would need a cleaning up. But neither man moved. Ramon kept trembling beside him, drawing Harry’s gaze. He pushed up on his elbows slowly, then let his eyes roam over Cisco’s naked form. The bite mark, bruised already around the edges, raw but no longer bleeding. The slight bruising on Cisco's upper arms and wrists. The redness of his ass. It was all very sobering. It made Harry quiet, made him curious. Because… he wasn’t ashamed. He should have been. He should have felt guilty and angry and any number of things other than what he was feeling. Which was proud. 

He knew instantly that it was the darkness in him. The vampire. The evil. But then Cisco turned his face to the side and opened his wet eyes, blinking slowly, looking right at him. There was no anger there. No hurt. No fear. Just a sated heaviness. A quiet, all-encompassing affection. Neither man said anything. What was there to say?

Harry slipped off the bed, bending over to place a kiss to Cisco’s forehead, before slipping momentarily away to the bathroom. He began to fill the tub with hot water, though not too hot. Then he came back to the bedroom and reached for Cisco. 

It was easy to carry the man. Probably more than Ramon realized. Cisco didn’t even fight him, just curled his arms around Harry’s neck and held on. Harry settled them both into the tub, Cisco’s back to his chest, his body settled between Harry’s long legs. And for the next hour, he let Harry tend to his body. He cleaned him in soothing strokes, washed his hair, pushed as much energy into the bite wound as he could to try to make it heal faster. 

There’d be no hiding it. Everyone would see that it was a feeding bite. Those were the only ones that healed slower, that scar. He stroked his fingers over it quietly, head relaxed against the tile behind him. Cisco was completely relaxed in his hold, eyes closed. “Do you regret it?” Harry asked him. He had to. He needed to know. Cisco shifted, hugging Harry’s free arm to his chest. 

“Not even a little.” He whispered. “Because of this. Right now.” He turned his head, shifting a little more. Harry’s hand dropped from the bite as he met his gaze. “And it all felt… really incredible. Painful and wonderful at the same time. I didn’t know that combination could be…” he shrugged, then gave a delicate smile, “Well, rapturous.” Harry smiled back.

“Rapturous, hm?” He leaned down enough to kiss Cisco’s plush mouth, Ramon gently matching his searching tongue as they passed the next few moments in comfortable ease. When the kiss broke, Harry smoothed Cisco’s hair back. “I never knew you had this side.” He admitted out loud. And Cisco winked at him before relaxing again, closing his eyes. 

“We’re both full of surprises.” He remarked, stroking Harry’s thigh beneath the water with one hand. “Not saying I want to do that all the time, but… it’s definitely going in the ‘things that need repeating’ category.”

“Even this part?” Harry smiled despite himself, bringing his mouth down to the bite mark and place a soothing kiss across the angry wounds. 

“Oh, yeah. Even that part.” Cisco sighed heavily, “I don’t know what it is about your fangs, man. But I’m addicted.” Harry chuckled at that, lifting his head. 

“I don’t want to feed on you like that. Not… often.” He admitted. Because he’d _really_ enjoyed it. Tasting Ramon, feeding from him, and using his body that way. It was all too glorious for words. But he also found, as enjoyable as it had been, there was something about the aftermath he was enjoying more. All this… holding Ramon and caring for him, sitting with him in a bathtub in a hotel room, and tending to the damage. He realized, if given the choice, he’d much rather care for Ramon than experience the pleasure his body gave.

“Did you enjoy it?” Cisco asked then, his voice slightly tentative, unsure.

“ _Fuck_ , yes.” Harry commented easily. It made Ramon laugh instantly. “But you should know, Ramon… it’s not what I want all the time. Tonight was a wonderful gift. However, it’s _you_ I want. In any way you’ll let me. Not just how I had you tonight.” Something about his words made a fine tremble race through Ramon’s body. Harry raised a brow slowly. 

"You said you would Bond me." He sighed out. "I want you to. You know that. Not right now, not yet. But I want you to." Cisco said gently, the words tugging at Harry's dead heart. A tender silence settled into the room after that. It was a few minutes before Cisco spoke again. “Promise she isn’t going to hurt you.” Cisco whispered, his words coming out of nowhere, hands stilling against Harry’s thighs in the water. “Promise me you’re going to be okay.”

Earlier, before Cisco had fallen asleep, Harry made sure he understood that no one could help him against the Leech. All of them were vulnerable despite being gifted. They were still human, which meant their energy was easily consumed by a Leech. And Harry couldn’t protect all of them and try to stop her at the same time. Ramon hadn’t been happy. In fact, he’d argued the point till he got too tired to keep his eyes open. But Harry knew, without a doubt, that it had to be this way. It seemed Ramon was starting to see that, too.

“I can’t promise that, love.” He said, nuzzling his face gently into Ramon’s damp hair before closing his eyes and letting out a deep sigh. “I promise you I will be as safe as I can be. I promise you I will do everything I can to come back to you. It’s all I can do.” Cisco nodded quietly. Then cleared his throat a little.

“It’s not enough…” He began stroking Harry’s thighs again, “But I’ll take it.”

A half-hour later, Harry had changed the sheets and blankets and gotten Cisco dressed and dried and tucked back in. Only this time, he laid down with him. Even though he’d fed, he was tired. He needed to rest, to let the Void claim him. Especially if he was going to go after that Leech in the coming days. Cisco insisted on being held by him, which was a little confusing to Harry. Why would anyone want to be held by a corpse while they slept? He’d tried to argue the point, but Cisco just wasn’t having any of it. By the time Ramon fell back to sleep, one of Harry’s arms was thoroughly pinned and the other was being held tight. It made Harry relax despite the initial hesitation.

And in the quiet, the subtle smells of Ramon’s blood and other things fading away, Harry let himself fall. Let the Void come in. Let the darkness take him. But as it flowed over him, he had a momentary sensation, something that tingled into every stiffened joint and heavy bone… something not normal…

He didn’t have time to hold onto the feeling of it, couldn’t reel back from the Void to figure out what it was. All he could do was try to remember it when the darkness finally let him go…

* * *

Cisco couldn’t stop wringing his hands. Panic was a real and painful presence in his body. He felt like screaming, like crying, like strangling someone, like running for the hills all at once. But he stayed where he was, bare feet in the carpeted floor, watching Caitlin examine Harry.

“This makes no sense.” She whispered, a hand pressed to Harry’s chest. The vampire was flat on his back in the bed, eyes closed, unmoving. Except for two very odd and confusing exceptions. Harry was breathing. And his heart was beating. Actually fricken beating. Thumping along so normal and real that when Cisco had woken up and found Harry passed out but movable, it startled the shit out of him. He knew damn well what Harry looked and felt like when he rested, and this wasn’t it. Harry was supposed to be stiff, freezing cold, and his skin should have been that odd mottled gray. But instead, he was breathing steadily, his skin was its normal color, and when Cisco moved out of his hold, he’d felt the heartbeat beneath his ribs. His first instinct had been to wake Harry. But nothing happened. The man was out cold. 

“He’s in the Void. I can feel it. But his body is… he’s…” Caitlin shook her head, pulling her hands away and standing straight, glancing around the room at everyone. Jesse had her hands curled beneath her chin, watching with wet, worried eyes. Barry and Iris were standing near the end of the bed, holding hands quietly. “I don’t know how to explain this.” Caitlin finally said. She was looking right at Cisco, now. “He’s in the Void. His Source is still active. His temperature is still hovering around seventy degrees Fahrenheit. But… but his heart is pumping. There’s blood flowing through his veins. And his breathing is far more normal, actually providing his cells with oxygen.”

“How is that possible?” Cisco demanded, his voice strained. “Vampires don’t have working hearts. And they don’t have to breathe.” He’d been told as much. And he knew Harry’s breathing was something instinctual, not something he actually needed to do.

“Did something happen last night?” Caitlin asked, glancing at the fresh large brown bandaid on Cisco’s throat. It made him swallow. Because a lot had happened last night, most of which they didn’t need to know about, dammit.

“We met with Leonid. He told Harry what he knew about Tess and gave him everything he had on the Leech.” He motioned across the room to the desk, where two folders sat. “I fell asleep. Then I woke up in the middle of the night and we talked… spent time together.” He cleared his throat a little. “He needed to rest so… we went back to bed. When I woke up this morning, I found him like this.”

It was a little odd, to be worried about the fact that someone was actually breathing and had a heartbeat. Most people would be worried about the exact opposite. But Harry wasn’t human. This shouldn’t be happening, right?!

“He fed from you again?” Caitlin asked gently. And Cisco squeezed his eyes shut. “And more…” She reached out and gently took his still wringing hands, holding one of his bruised wrists softly. He opened his eyes and glared at her. “I’m not judging here, Cisco. None of us are.” She sounded so nice about it, it made Cisco clench his mouth closed. “But maybe something happened that could help try to explain this?” She motioned to Harry with her free hand, drawing Cisco’s attention straight back to him. In all honesty, Harry just looked asleep. Really asleep.

“We had sex, okay?” He nearly whispered. Caitlin stepped a little closer to him. “There’s a lot of energy involved. On both our parts.” He pulled his hand away from her, smoothing his palms down his sweatpants. “There was… more than usual last night, though.” Something painful began to dawn on him, making his eyes dart up to her. “Did I hurt him somehow?” He demanded instantly, voice a touch louder. She shook her head quickly, grabbing on to him and pulling him into her, hugging him close. He felt his eyes sting, but he lifted his hands to her back.

“No, no you didn’t hurt him. I get it, the energy circulation between you two, especially when intimate… it’s supposed to be strong.” She pulled away, hands on his shoulders, watching him in that ever caring way of hers. “You’re soulmates, Cisco. It’s new territory, for anyone. A vampire and a human? I thought maybe because he’s a revenant, that it might have made him capable of the connection? But it doesn’t seem to matter, it just shouldn’t be possible. I’ve tried to understand it, and it’s just completely out of the realm of anything we know about vampires. Maybe…” she turned, looking down at Harry, “Maybe you being soulmates has something to do with what’s happening now.” She let him go, moving back to Harry and placing her palm flat on the vampire’s sternum. “All I know for certain right now is… Harry’s okay. He’s still resting like he should, like a vampire. The Void is regenerating his cells, I can feel it.” She let her hand fall away again.

Cisco felt incredibly uncomfortable, terribly worried, and beyond confused. Jesse appeared beside him, he hadn’t even heard her move. There were tears on her face. Cisco swallowed, seeing her wet cheeks. “I’m sorry.” He whispered, and she looked at him instantly, shaking her head. She moved into him, thudding her forehead onto his shoulder and hugging him tightly. He blinked against the burn in his own eyes. 

“You don’t have to be sorry. You don’t, I swear.” She gave a tiny sob. “I’m just really worried, that’s all. Nothing like this has ever happened before.”

“He’s going to be okay, Jesse.” Caitlin said, reaching out and putting a hand on her back. “I promise. He’ll come back from the Void like he always does. He’s almost there, I can feel it.” Jesse seemed to settle a little at those words but didn’t move away from Cico.

The next four hours were hell. 

No one left, everyone insisting on being there. It warmed Cisco, in a way. He was constantly reminded how much these incredible people loved Harry, and how much they loved him. He was grateful for their presence because he had a feeling he’d be in misery if they weren’t around to keep his head on straight. At one point, Cisco dressed and brushed his teeth. Seeing himself in the bathroom mirror was a little startling. He had bright bruises on his upper arms, clearly the shape of someone’s hands grabbing him. His wrists had bruises, too, though a little less defined. He hadn’t realized how roughly Harry had grabbed him, but he wasn’t complaining.

There’d been a rush… a completely instinctive need to let Harry be rough with him. Cisco’d never been that rough with anyone in his life. And honestly, he was sure that wasn’t half as rough as Harry could have been. But the sheer intense sensation of being handled like that had been beyond anything Cisco had ever experienced. He was surprised how willingly he’d given into it, how much the pain had turned into pleasure… and how quickly. There was a twisted acceptance to knowing that Harry never would have permanently harmed him, but still wanted Cisco to hurt physically, even if a little. 

How much he trusted Harry, how much he’d practically dared the vampire to take his body any way he’d wanted… it was frightening now. Not because he was afraid of Harry. That was still a definitive reality for Cisco… that he would never be afraid of the vampire, or what he was. But it was frightening because Cisco had never let go like that before, in anything or with anyone. Harry so easily took his inhibitions and threw them out, and Cisco let him without a second thought. Because he was so completely enamored, so thoroughly in love, that his trust in Harry only made his own wants and needs seem more attainable. To know someone was willing to do what Cisco asked, to treat him the way he needed and wanted and demanded, it was addictive.

Cisco had never really been in to pain. Not like last night. Mostly because he’d never dared. He’d had sex before that had been too stimulating, to the point of being spectacularly uncomfortable. It hadn’t really been his choice. He’d also had moments in the past where he realized that some pain during sex was actually pretty damn good. But this… what had happened last night… it was all beyond his wildest dreams. And honestly, his dreams could get pretty wild sometimes. Being able to experience it all on his terms was liberating. He hadn’t spoken much during the entirety of it, but he knew if he’d asked Harry to stop, the vampire would have. Instantly. Harry had only ever been respectful of him. Even wading through such intense hunger, he still kept his wits about him. When he’d bitten into Cisco’s throat, it hadn’t hurt. It had been that same intense electricity he’d used last time, only way more intense and exploding everywhere in his body.

It had turned him inside out and upside down and over and over until he practically came apart when he orgasmed. He’d been instantly sure that if Harry decided to keep going, he’d be useless. But Harry used those damn delicious fangs of his, and his intoxicating energy, and woke Little Ramon right back up. Everything after that was pain and pleasure in equal parts that Cisco wouldn’t regret, ever.

The moment Caitlin had asked if they’d done more than talk, he’d felt protective. Not of himself. He didn’t care about the bruises or the bite on his neck. Didn’t care that they could see them. But he did care what they’d think about Harry. He didn’t want them to look at the aftermath on Cisco’s skin and think Harry had done something terrible. Because to Cisco, it hadn’t been. It still wasn’t. Cisco was grateful that none of them seemed to think Harry had done anything wrong.

Only now, Cisco felt like he had done something wrong to the vampire. Seeing Harry in a state that was just… not normal for him… it broke his heart. Because he had no answers, only a shit load of questions. And none of those made sense, either. All he could do was wait with everyone else for Harry to come-to and see if he had any answers. Eventually, they ordered room service and ate. He was actually surprised how hungry he was, though it made sense when he thought about how much blood Harry must have taken.

It made him wonder what that was like for Harry… never to eat or really drink anything beyond human blood. Had it ever disgusted him? Had he ever hated what it tasted like or felt like? Cisco knew why Harry didn’t feed like other vampires. The still healing bite mark on his thigh and the fresh one his neck were answer enough. Harry didn’t like hurting people… without permission. And even then, he didn’t seem to like the idea of leaving scars behind. There had been pride in Harry’s eyes at the sight of the bitemarks on Cisco’s flesh. But even then, Cisco had sensed the regret. For all Harry was a vampire, he was still so very human. In every good way.

By the time eleven o’clock rolled around, Cisco was sitting in a chair that he’d pulled up close to Harry’s side of the bed. He had his forehead planted into Harry’s arm and was holding onto one of his hands. And he was humming lightly to himself, tapping his foot, thinking. Jesse was on the floor, flipping through a magazine, flat on her stomach. Iris and Barry had stepped out to call Martin, to see if he could offer any thoughts on the current situation. Caitlin was sitting at the desk with her laptop, doing research. It was all so quiet, that Cisco had sort of fallen into a calm space in his head. Until Harry let out a sound. 

It was close to a strangled yell, a distinctly inhuman sound, followed by Harry sitting up instantly and nearly falling out of the bed, toppling the lamp off the nightstand and standing up, backing into the nearest corner. His fangs were bared, his eyes were wide and wild-looking, and he had one hand gripped to his own chest, lungs heaving. 

“Harry!” Cisco had startled instantly, nearly knocking his chair over as he’d stood. He had his hands out open and empty, watching Harry cautiously, inching toward him. “Harry, look at me!” He demanded, the vampire’s eyes moving around quickly like he wasn’t sure where he was. When they fell on Cisco, he blinked and then began to slide down the wall, landing on his ass heavily, one leg stretched out, the other bent. He was still holding onto his chest like it hurt, his face set in a pained expression as he squeezed his eyes shut momentarily. 

“Ramon…” he managed to get out, his voice so much rougher than usual. Cisco moved toward him, crouching slowly and reaching out, putting one hand on his knee. It made Harry startle slightly, eyes flying open. 

“Jesus, Harry…” he spoke softly, his other hand moving to cup Harry’s cheek. “It’s okay, you’re safe. You’re at the hotel. With us.” He felt Jesse’s hand on his shoulder, could sense Caitlin hovering nearby. Harry looked at them all one at a time, nodding quietly before closing his eyes again and letting his head fall back against the wall with a thunk. “Are you okay?”

“N-no…” he stammered out, swallowing. “My chest…” Caitlin moved in at that, reaching forward and gently moving Harry’s hand out of the way. He winced as she pressed her palm down. 

“His heart’s still beating.” She said softly.

“What?” Harry asked coarsely, opening his eyes, brows furrowed. “What did you just say?!”

“Harry, your heart… it’s beating.” Cisco responded, Harry’s eyes darting to him instantly. “It started sometime after we fell asleep. I woke up and you were…” he shook his head, “You weren’t like you were supposed to be.”

“That’s not possible.” He nearly snapped out, then closed his eyes again, like whatever he was feeling was incredibly uncomfortable. He slipped his hand back up, Caitlin pulling hers away. His fingers began to shake as he pressed his palm back to his chest. “What…” he whispered, opening his eyes. They were wet, tears welling. “I don’t understand.” His words sounded angry, harsh. It almost made Cisco want to smile because it was so Harry. The man hated not understanding.

“How do you feel? Does it hurt?” Jesse asked, kneeling down beside Cisco, who had pulled his hands away to give Harry space.

“I don’t know. I don’t… is this pain?” he asked, sounding more unsure than Cisco had ever heard him. “Pounding… I can hear it. I thought it was one of you…” The tears rolled down Harry’s cheeks, seemingly unnoticed by the vampire who didn’t react to them. His breathing began to pick up a little, “It’s so heavy…” he hissed out a little, shaking his head. “I need it to stop!” He half blurted, his hand almost squeezing his chest. Cisco reached forward, grabbing Harry’s hand and tugging. For a moment, Harry’s hand didn’t budge. But something about Ramon touching him made him blink and focus in on Cisco’s face, his hand relaxing into Cisco’s hold. 

“Just look at me.” Cisco stated firmly, pushing the chair completely out of the way and scooting closer to Harry, putting his legs to either side of him, facing him. He had an idea. He put Harry’s palm flat over his own chest, right where his heart was. It made Harry’s brows furrow, made him blink. And then Cisco nodded. “Just feel that, okay? It’s normal, healthy, right?” Harry looked confused but nodded. Cisco reached forward with one hand and put it over his heart. It was there, thudding along, it was so unreal and fantastic. But it was scaring Harry. And Cisco hated that. “So is yours. Normal, healthy.” Cisco offered a little smile. “Don’t worry about why it’s happening. Don’t try to find answers right this moment. Just… breathe and settle, okay?” Harry’s expression softened, a few more tears falling. “You’re safe. We’re here. And whatever this is, it isn’t bad.”

“How do you know that?” Harry asked sharply, though his voice was soft. Cisco smiled. 

“Because of all the changes we’ve gone through since we met… none of it’s been bad, right?” That made Harry close his eyes, another tear staining his cheek. 

“I’m afraid.” Harry admitted out loud. That made Jesse let out a tiny, sad sound. Caitlin put an arm around her. “I don’t know what to do, Ramon.” It couldn’t have been easy to say either one of those things. But Cisco just leaned further forward, reached up and grabbed the back of Harry’s head, then pulled him till their foreheads met.

“Neither do I. But that’s okay. We can be useless together.” He said softly. And that made Harry let out a sad, small chuckle before reaching completely for Cisco and wrapping his arms around him. It was a little odd, sitting in Harry’s lap now with Jesse and Caitlin right there. But no one seemed to care. And honestly, Cisco was more worried about comforting Harry right then.

Eventually, Iris and Barry came back and Cisco had moved Harry to sit on the end of the bed. 

The vampire was still holding his chest, rubbing at it idly, eyes downcast as he stared at the rug. 

“Martin has no idea what’s causing this.” Barry said softly. “But he thinks Caitlin may be on to something with the whole soulmate connection. Whatever is going on, he’s pretty sure the answer lies there.”

“Whatever’s happening, he can’t go after the Leech now.” Jesse said firmly, her arms crossed over the shoulders.

“You all really need to stop talking like I’m not fucking right here.” Harry sounded angry. In fact, he’d had that edge in his voice since he’d startled awake. He lifted his eyes to Jesse, catching her slowly sobering face.

“Dad, you can’t do this anymore. If you’re vulnerable, even a little-“ Jesse began, but Harry cut her off by standing and looking at Caitlin.

“My Source is still intact, correct?” He demanded of her. Caitlin looked subdued for a moment, then nodded.

“You were still in the Void. Your Source was still regenerating you. Whatever this is, it’s not affecting your Source at all.” She pushed up from her chair, standing next to Jesse. “But that doesn’t mean you’re okay, Harry. We don’t know-“

“If my Source is unaffected, then the Leech can’t feed from me. I have to hold up my end of things, or the Leshy will come after you all.” His eyes were roaming from person to person. “I can’t let anything happen to any of you.” Finally his eyes fell on Jesse. “You know that.” She let her arms fall and stepped toward him, looking up at his bloodshot eyes. He looked so agitated, but defiant to what was happening to him. It made Cisco’s heart ache, seeing him like that. But he reached forward and pulled Jesse into him. She wrapped her arms around him, resting her cheek against his chest. Her eyes seemed to focus sharply at the sound of his heartbeat in her ear.

“I’m scared, Dad. I don’t want to lose you.”

Harry didn’t say anything to that. Cisco knew why. Harry didn’t make promises he couldn’t keep.

Whatever all this was, whatever was happening, it was terrible timing. And Cisco couldn’t help the guilt he felt, couldn’t help but wonder if this was somehow all his fault. Harry met his stare from where he stood, and somehow he could read what the vampire was thinking. He didn’t blame Cisco at all. Why’d he have to be so damn wonderful?

It was just another question that didn’t have an answer. 

As the group talked about what was to come, and the newest development in front of them, Cisco sat close to Harry, holding his hand, letting the vampire use him for comfort. He could see Harry really needed it right then, even if he didn’t say it out loud. Cisco couldn’t imagine how terrifying it was to suddenly have a heartbeat after literal centuries without one. But it was more than that. There was something Harry wasn’t saying, something he wasn’t telling them all. Cisco had a feeling it was because he didn’t want everyone to know.

But Cisco Ramon wasn’t everyone. 

In fact, he might just be the only person in existence who could help. If only Harrison Wells would let him in…


	14. “Please, let me go. Please…”

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Harry struggles to come to terms with all of the startling changes surrounding him and has an honest conversation with Barry. 
> 
> Leonid decides to change the deal, incurring Harry's wrath. 
> 
> Cisco finds himself in the dark, in more ways than one...

The hotel restaurant was quiet. 

It was the middle of the day, and though they weren’t open, all he'd had to do was drop Leonid’s name to get them to let him sit with a glass of their strongest whiskey. Normally, Harry didn’t have much of a taste for alcohol. It had no effect on him. And whenever he drank anything but blood, it was more for the taste than anything else. 

At the moment, however, he wanted to feel the burn down his throat. 

He was having a hard time thinking. His mind was a mess of jumbled moments and thoughts that assaulted him every time he stopped to think. He needed something simple to focus on, something uncomplicated, something that made sense. The scribbles on the several napkins in front of him was his attempt to turn his thoughts off. To work. Math would always be simple. The problems it provided, the simplicity of the numbers would always be easy for him. Easier than whatever was currently happening to him, that was for certain.

“Combinatorics?” Barry’s voice made him stiffen for a moment, then set his pen down before looking across the table as Allen sat, plucking up one of the napkins and looking it over. “You must be really desperate.” The not-so-subtle smile on the young man’s face made Harry frown and sit back, grabbing his glass.

“What do you want, Allen?” He demanded rather harshly before taking a slow sip of the alcohol. It stung his throat, made his stomach turn, and he enjoyed every second of it. Barry didn’t seem upset in the least at Harry’s tone, just let the napkin fall back to the table and crossed one ankle over his opposite knee, watching Harry.

“Talk to me.” He said, his features calm, his hands folded comfortably in his lap. 

“No.” Harry set his glass down and crossed his arms.

“Yes.” Barry countered as he raised his chin lightly. “Come on, man. You need to talk to someone. You just about made Jesse hide her in the hotel room, Caitlin and Iris are both mad at you for refusing to let Caitlin look you over. And Cisco doesn’t know if he should give you space or throttle you into compliance.” He smirked at that, then motioned to Harry. “I’m the only one who doesn’t care if you rip my head off or not.”

“Why?” He asked then, making Barry arch a brow. 

“Why what?” 

Harry sighed, looking up at the ceiling, fighting his agitation. “Why does my anger not bother you like it does everyone else?”

Barry chuckled, drawing Harry’s stare again. “Because when you’re angry at us, it’s never really because you’re angry at us.”

“What does that mean?” Harry frowned harder, if that was possible. He wasn’t in the mood for riddles.

“It means…” Barry leaned forward, relaxing his arms on the table, “That you care about us too much to really be mad at us.” Barry smiled. “You get really pissed off, and sometimes we drive you so crazy you throw things. But it’s only because you worry, because you put the effort in, because you think we’re worth it and you don’t really know how to express it properly.” Barry smiled at the look on his face. “We all know it, by the way.”

“You do…” It wasn’t a question, though his tone was dubious. Because if there was one thing Harry was, it was hard on the people he loved. The people who loved him. He often wondered why they put up with it, why they let it roll off their shoulders so easily. He’d hurt them all before. Not physically, no. But emotionally? He was sure of it. He was positive he’d hurt feelings, broken their hearts, even massively disappointed them. 

“Harry, man…” Barry shook his head and sighed, “We get it. We all understand. What you are? Who you are? It’s just how it is. You’re not like anyone else. You don’t try to be. Probably because you don’t know how to be any other way. Lucky for you, we can read between the lines. We can see all the good, which completely outweighs any bad. We love you for who you are because you love us that way. Which is why we’re going to continue being royal pains in your ass, and you’re going to continue being a jerk. And the world will go on spinning like it always has.”

“You’re insufferable.” Harry sighed out. That made Barry laugh gently. 

“Absolutely. I pride myself on being able to surpass your threshold of agitation. That doesn’t mean, however, that you can’t talk to me.” Barry’s eyes were practically sparkling with humor. 

Harry knew he had never said it out loud, but he thought of Barry as a son. 

The young man was insightful and intelligent and funny. And he also had a hell of a lot of heart. More than most people he knew. When he’d first met Allen, he had that incredible brightness of a young soul who wanted to change the world for the better. He had aspirations and dreams that were all admirable, and no way to achieve them on his own. Recruiting him was an easy decision. It had little to do with the fact that he was a Sylph. (Though that had been fascinating to Harry.) People like Barry Allen were few and far between. And he wasn’t about to let his talent go to waste. 

Getting close to the young man was not part of Harry’s plan. But Allen left him with little choice. He’d been so adamant to learn from Harry, to soak up knowledge and be an eagerly annoying presence at the same time that Harry found himself attached before he’d had a chance to realize he might regret it. Except… he didn’t regret it, couldn’t…

“There’s too much to talk about.” He admitted quietly, looking down at the napkins, the numbers that were all so logical to him. “Everything with Ramon, this Leech problem, this… whatever the fuck this is…” he motioned to his own chest. 

His heart had finally stopped beating a few hours after he’d awoken. The relief he’d felt at the silence in his ears and the stilling in his veins was palpable. He had often wondered what it felt like, having so long ago forgotten the sensation. But feeling it again? It had been terrifying. Absolutely, completely horrific. It shouldn’t have been. It was just a heartbeat, something normal people relished and needed. But it wasn’t right. It was all wrong, it felt like death to him. Which made absolutely no sense. 

It should have been wondrous, should have been amazing. Because, shit, if there ever was a fucking miracle… but Harry didn’t believe in miracles. Life and death couldn’t live in one form like that. It wasn’t possible. Or it shouldn’t have been. And none of that was even the worst of it all.

Even waking up to that terror, to the suffocating worry of everyone in the room, of the pain that wasn’t actually pain in his chest and veins wasn’t the worst. No… the worst was what had happened while he’d rested.

“Harry.” Barry’s voice held a chastising note to it, something he’d heard more than once. Usually when Harry was being his most difficult. He dragged his stare back to Barry’s face, watching him clench his jaw momentarily. “You think we don’t realize there’s something else going on? We know you, remember?”

“You don’t know as much as you all think.” He grit out. Barry raised a brow.

“We know you haven’t told us everything.” He motioned to Harry’s glass, “You don’t drink unless something really bad is going on. And yeah, we could chalk it up to the whole suddenly functioning heart thing. But,” he pushed one of the napkins toward Harry, poking it in one spot. “You don’t mess up math. Ever.” Harry looked down at the equations, and slowly he sobered. He felt himself go slightly rigid.

“ _Fuck_.” He swore softly, nearly slamming the glass down to the tabletop. Barry didn’t even cringe. Because he knew why Harry was angry. Allen was right. He’d fucked up the equation in such a ridiculous way. It was practically a grade school mistake.

“I’m serious, Harry. Talk to me. If not me, then one of us. Or all of us. But talk.” He folded his hands lazily and simply stared at the vampire, who picked up the napkins and crumpled them up into a ball before tossing them down on the tabletop and settling heavily into his chair. For a long moment, both men just stared at each other. Then Harry peeled his glasses off and tossed them onto the table.

“I think I…” he paused, unable to help feeling like the words he was about to say were entirely absurd. True, but absurd. “I think I dreamed.” Barry’s face sobered quickly, both brows going up.

“What?” He asked softly. “Seriously?”

“Yes, Allen. Seriously.” He snapped, then he sighed heavily, lifting a hand to rub at his forehead. “I remember falling into the Void. But… but it didn’t end there.” He dropped his hand to his lap. “There was darkness. Endless. So dark, I couldn’t make anything out. No shapes, no lights, nothing. But I could hear… a heart beating.” He clenched his jaw for a moment, watching Barry’s brows slowly furrow. “Then there was a rush of wind. It was filled with voices. So many voices.” He closed his eyes, pulling the memory up vividly, which was far too easy to do. “I knew them all. All those voices. It was everyone I’ve ever…” He swallowed, opening his eyes but not looking at Barry. “It was everyone.” He cleared his throat. “Then one by one, they died away. Disappeared. Even the heartbeat faded. It was so quiet. _Painfully_ quiet. And I knew I was… completely alone. I knew that was my end… how it would be when it’s all over for me. I woke up right after.”

Barry slowly sat back and let out a breath, shaking his head gently.

“Shit, Harry.” He whispered. 

Shit, indeed.

For a long few moments, Barry didn’t say what he was thinking. And Harry didn’t ask. 

Eventually, Allen nodded, as though to himself, then motioned to Harry. “It has to be something to do with your connection to Cisco.” He finally stated. That made Harry’s lip curl, a reaction he couldn’t control, which in turn made Barry blink and shake his head. “Just think about it. Martin said that soulmates are powerful. That even regular humans have an effect on the world around them just by being near one another after coming together. Cisco is gifted, and you’re a vampire. That’s _power_ , Harry. Real, at times scary power. And you’ve put those individual powers together. It’s never happened before. There’s no way to know what that will cause. Cisco’s power could be waking up all sorts of things in you.”

“If that’s true, it would be mutual. I’m not affecting him.” He stated instantly, then furrowed his brows.

“Are you sure about that?” Barry asked plainly, “He never had visions while awake till he met you. And I don’t think either one of you have noticed this, but…” Barry paused, seeming to weigh his next words, like he wasn’t quite sure he should say anything at all.

“But what?” Harry urged sharply. Barry cleared his throat.

“Cisco may have started out as just a Seer. But we’re pretty sure he has other gifts, too.”

That made Harry’s brows shoot up. Because that wasn’t possible. Gifted never had more than one gift. Ever. It wasn’t possible to have multiple energies. A Spectra could only channel one sort, pertaining to each individual. 

“Why would you think that?” His tone was far less sharp now, more curious. Barry sighed heavily.

“When he gets scared or angry… we’ve seen things.” 

“Enough with the indistinct answers, Allen.” He griped. 

“Things move. Sometimes little things. Stuff… falls off tables on its own or breaks without anyone touching it. And other times…” he looked worried for a moment, then hid it expertly, “Other times bigger things move. We were at the labs and he was seriously angry at something Donna had done. I was in the opposite room and the table I was at… it flipped right over. Everyone else has seen similar things.” Harry looked down, zoned in on a wet spot on the table.

“Why haven’t I?” He didn’t doubt Allen. He wouldn’t lie about this. He trusted him and his judgment, probably far more than he expressed.

“We talked about that. We think it’s because the two of you together… that you’re his safety. You keep him steady and focused. It never happens when you’re around.”

Harry just sat there like he weighed a million pounds. He may as well have. Why hadn’t he known? Why hadn’t he sensed it? Barry kept talking like he could tell what Harry was thinking.

“Harry, you wouldn’t see it if that was the case. He’s been a Seer his whole life. If there’s a new energy at play, and you really have an effect on his emotions like that, then it wouldn’t come forth if you’re around.” Barry’s explanation made sense. But it still unsettled him a great deal. 

“Does Ramon know?” The question came out quick, his eyes darting back up. Barry’s eyebrows raised just as quick at the words. Because if Cisco knew, why hadn’t he told Harry? Or any of them?

“No.” he shook his head, “No, we seriously think he doesn’t. It’s why we haven’t said anything. We…” he cleared his throat, “We didn’t want to make things more complicated so soon. He’s experienced so many changes in such a short time, we didn’t want it to be more overwhelming.”

In one way, Harry was happy they cared so much about Ramon, that they were trying to protect him and help him. But at the same time, he was upset that they’d kept this a secret. That with everything that had been happening, and was still happening, they’d held back on what they’d observed. It made Harry keep his thoughts to himself, just sit there and stare. Because he wanted to thank Barry and chew him out at the same time. It was better to just shut up.

He reached forward and grabbed his glasses, standing up and pulling his wallet out. He dropped enough money for a tip and to cover the whiskey. Then he moved to leave. He stopped just beside Barry, however. And he gripped the young man’s shoulder. Barry was looking up at him with a relieved smile, as though he’d fully expected Harry to lose his temper. Harry couldn’t blame him for that. He squeezed Barry’s shoulder slightly, then left without looking back. 

He needed to talk to Ramon. Communication with Cisco had always been singularly easy, so effortless that Harry often found himself admitting and sharing things he never had with anyone else. But talking with Barry made him realize that he’d been doing what everyone else had done recently… he’d been trying to protect Ramon by keeping certain things from him. That needed to stop. Not just with everyone else but, most importantly, with Harry. Ramon didn’t need to be treated like fragile glass. He needed to be completely in the loop.

Starting right now.

* * *

Harry had Leonid pinned to the wall, his arm across the red-headed asshole’s throat, his pupils full-blown in anger, drowning out any blue as the Leshy held onto Harry’s arm, trying to breathe. “I swear, I will peel the skin from your flesh and make sure you’re alive to feel every moment of it if you don’t tell me where Ramon is right now.”

The hotel room was a mess. The moment Harry had gotten to their floor, he’d felt an urgency, a sudden insistence of his own instinct to get to Cisco. But all he’d found in the room was Leonid and the lingering scent of Ramon’s fear. He’d been so caught up in his own thoughts and problems that he hadn’t felt anything through the mark, not even once. He was furious. At himself, at the Leshy. At just fucking every damn thing. Seeing Leonid standing in the middle of the room with a smug expression set off all of Harry’s alarm bells.

He didn’t waste a moment going after the Leshy. It was stupid, it was reckless. But despite the other man’s power and age, he couldn’t beat Harry in a hands-on fight. It was an advantage Harry didn’t waste. Yes, the Leshy fought back. But his people were nowhere near the room, and they weren’t out in the open, where the Leshy could call up his connection with nature and carnivores. He was in a hotel room with a very angry, older vampire who had never liked him to begin with.

“Dad!” Jesse’s urgent voice behind him made his fangs bare momentarily.

“Stay back!” He snapped at her, Caitlin and Iris both with her and stopping just beyond the open doorway. He looked back at Leonid and shoved him more into the wall, which already had a hell of a dent in it from Harry initially tossing him into it. The Leshy gagged and coughed at Harry’s hold on him. 

“If… if you don’t… let me go…” Leonid attempted to speak, squeezing his eyes shut. Harry let out a loud, angry growl before yanking the Leshy forward and throwing him to the floor. He rolled onto his back, coughing, rubbing at his throat with one hand before smiling and looking up at the ceiling. “You are every bit… what I’ve been told… aren’t you.” He breathed out, not particularly asking a question. Harry moved to stand over him, hovering, seething power and anger. He’d never quite felt rage like this before. That’s what it was… _rage_. He knew the taste of it, the acidic quality to it, because it was so much a part of his vampiric DNA that he’d know it anywhere. But it was still different, somehow. Not a generalized rage in the least. It was focused, sharp, surging through his veins with every moment that passed. But he had to look past it. He’d learned long ago that anger was useful up to a point, but rage? That could make him careless. “We took him,” Leonid rose up on his elbows, “As insurance.” He got to his feet, tugging his shirt into place and running a hand through his hair. 

“Insurance.” Harry’s tone was so cold, Leonid actually raised a brow, giving him a once over. “I gave you my word.” He stepped closer to the Leshy, who instinctively stepped back. 

There it was. 

For the first time, Harry could sense the Leshy’s distrust and fear. It was pungent, though Leonid was doing his best to fight it. The smell of it twisted something inside of Harry, urged him to make it flourish, wanted him to lunge forward and drain the man dry of every last drop of blood. His fear tasted like ambrosia, and Harry wanted more. It turned his hunger into a sentient thing almost instantly. With so much tumultuous emotion already boiling inside of him, Harry was nearly useless at fighting that much delicious fear. So he didn’t even try. Leonid could see it on his face, hear it in the rolling growl that began to emanate from his chest as Harry took another step forward.

But then there were hands on the vampire.

Familiar, warm, calming. 

The energy around him shifted instantly, pushed into him, made him breathe in deeply and close his eyes, stopping him in place. 

Iris and Caitlin had both grabbed him by either arm. Not to pull him back or get his attention, but to drown him in an instant calm, emotions manipulated by their energy to help him quell his own, to help him focus on anything other than his hunger, to make him think clearly. This wasn’t the first time they’d done something like this. He hated knowing it probably wouldn’t be the last. But he was instantly grateful, opening his eyes and looking at Leonid who seemed utterly confused. 

“What the fuck?” He muttered, looking from one woman to the next, then back to Harry in complete confusion. “How are they doing that?” He demanded. 

“They’re gifted.” He stated plainly, letting his hands curl around each woman’s digits as they slipped their respective palms into his own. He held on gently, smoothing his thumbs over their knuckles, mostly to keep himself from letting go of the calm they so effortlessly provided.

“I know that.” He forced out. “But… but gifted can’t affect vampires like this… so how are they doing that?” he motioned to all three of them, looking and sounding very agitated and out of his element, any humor the man had completely gone. 

“I’m not telling you shit. Give me Ramon.” Harry sneered. 

Fuck this man. 

He didn’t need to know what they were together. Individually, each one of the gifted humans in Harry’s life was no different than any other gifted. But together, they’d learned things, made discoveries, figured out how to bend their respective energies to work outside of the realm of what was widely known. 

It was no small feat, to be sure, what Iris and Caitlin had just done. The differences between their Spectra and his Source were far too extreme for them normally to have been able to connect with him, or even affect him. But after he’d marked them, one by one they began to realize that combining their gifts in certain situations could not only reach his Source but allow him to tap into their gifts to use on himself. A sort of exchange of resources. They’d never told anyone outside of their circle what they could do. The implications were serious and potentially dangerous for all of them.

Leonid shut his mouth, then slipped his hands into his pockets, eyeing Harry hard.

“I told you… I will take care of the Leech. I gave my word.” Harry’s tone had calmed considerably. “You don’t need him.”

“I think I do.” He nodded in Harry’s direction. “Especially now. Your nestmates here are too unpredictable. And you’re too volatile, revenant or not.” Harry could feel the Leshy’s power swirling around them, a heady mix of natural power and years of strength. He ignored it entirely. “He’s safe. We haven’t harmed a single one of those pretty long hairs. And he’ll stay that way, till you finish your end of the deal.” Leonid shook his head, sighing. “This isn’t personal, Wells. It’s business.”

“Isn’t personal?” Harry raised a brow and chuckled, a bitter sound, before letting go of the two women and stepping straight into Leonid’s space. “He’s my _mate_. That makes it very personal.” He half-whispered. Leonid clenched his jaw idly. “Anything happens to him… anything,” Harry’s lips curled at the mere sentiment, “I will start a war if I have to.”

“You would, wouldn’t you.” Leonid looked thoughtful. “You’d risk war between vamps and Leshy, for one man?”

“In a heartbeat.” Harry’s words would have been humorous if he hadn’t recently experienced what a heartbeat felt like. Not that the Leshy knew that. Leonid nodded.

“As I said, he’s safe. Kill the Leech, and he’s yours.” He moved past Harry, pausing momentarily to look around the disheveled room, the broken desk, the hole Harry had put in the wall earlier. “I’ll get my people to move you to a suite.” And he pushed past Jesse, who was staring daggers into him, disappearing out the door. 

Harry closed his eyes. Squeezed them shut. Brought his hands up to his hair and gripped the unruly strands. And he opened up his senses, searched, spread his power through the mark without warning anyone. All three women in the room let out a gasp simultaneously, but he ignored them. He needed to feel for Cisco. But there was something blocking him… something strong enough to override his ability to connect to Ramon’s mark. He tried for nearly five minutes, pacing as he did. But nothing. _There was nothing_. It made a yell escape his mouth and he turned, his fist connecting with the nearest wall.

He pulled his hand out, breathing hard, palms flat on the painted surface, a strangled angry sound flowing out of him as he planted his forehead just to the side of the hole he’d just made. 

“Dad…” Jesse’s soft tone reached him, her hands gingerly touching his back before becoming more confident and curling around him as she hugged his frame. She pressed her forehead into his spine, clasped her hands to his stomach. “Just breathe.” She said calmly. There were more hands on him. Iris, Caitlin. They didn’t try to push their energy into him this time. They just held onto him, the three women encircling him in a strange sort of group hug.

“This shouldn’t be happening.” He whispered, closing his eyes, letting his stiff form relax slowly. “I can’t feel him.” He felt the fight slowly go out of him, replaced with something more like urgency. “He was afraid, his fear… it’s still in this room.”

“They must have him somewhere sealed with boiled blood.” It was Barry’s voice, then the young man’s warm hand on his shoulder, squeezing. He’d never even heard him enter the room. He must have run up when he felt Harry reach through the mark. 

Boiled blood, or ‘dead man’s blood,’ was a useful deterrent for vampires. They couldn’t consume it. They couldn’t push their energy past it. If they wanted to keep him from connecting with or even feeling out where Cisco was, all they had to do was drop some in every corner of whatever room they held him in. It successfully created a barrier he couldn’t pass, in or out of. And he’d never be able to narrow down exactly where Ramon was because of it.

“What do we do now?” Iris’ tender tone made Harry open his eyes, made him push away from the wall, everyone having no choice but to step away from him. Turning, he found them in a sort of semi-circle, watching him.

“You’re going to do nothing.” His tone was rough, “Pick a room and seal yourselves inside, together.”

“And what are you going to do?” Barry demanded. Harry watched him momentarily, then roamed his eyes around the room, stopping at the bed and the rumpled blankets. A pillow had fallen to the floor, a pair of Ramon’s pajama pants was folded near the end. He cleared his throat at the sight of it, then looked back at the people before him.

“I’m going to prepare.”

It would be hours before nightfall. But he could use that time to get his plans in order. He needed to feed, to settle his Source, to head out to where they were fairly certain the Leech was hunting. Then, when night came, he’d spread his senses out until he found her. After that, he couldn’t really predict what would happen. But one way or another, he’d kill her. Then the Leshy would have to deal with the aftermath and one thoroughly enraged Harrison Wells. 

“We can help you get ready.” Jesse said, drawing his gaze. She looked resolved, intent, and just as mad as he was. Looking at all of them, he could see they felt the same. Slowly, he nodded. They couldn’t fight the Leech, but they could help strengthen Harry, boost his energy with their own. And though normally he wouldn’t allow it, mostly because it would exhaust them, this time… well, this time was different. This time he wasn’t taking any chances. Ramon’s life was at stake. There was no room for fuck ups. 

He used to think, so many years ago, that to be strong he had to learn to fight alone. Now he knew better. There had always been things and people worth fighting for. But accepting the fact that he couldn’t do it all by himself hadn’t been easy. Standing there, surrounded by four of the people he cared about most, faced with the fact that he was only able to do so much alone, it was easy to give in to the necessity of need… need for help, need for these people, need for more hope than he would ever have if he were solitary.

And though Ramon couldn’t hear him, couldn’t feel him, he let their combined courage filter into the mark for him to find if he could. Cisco just needed to hang on a little while longer. One way or another, they would all get him back. And if Harry had anything to say about it, he would never let Ramon go again…

* * *

Cisco was pacing.

His mouth tasted bitter, as though he’d sucked on a handful of coins, and his head hurt like he’d had way too much to drink. The needle they’d stuck in his neck must have had some sort of sedative, because one moment he’d been struggling with one of the douchebag Leshys, and the next he’d woken up in a room with no windows and only one door. It looked like a hotel room, but with none of the amenities. Maybe older than the rest of the hotel, with worn-out carpet that must have been blue at one point and a single bed with bland bedding (that he’d woken up on top of.)

Trying the door hadn’t worked. Not only was it locked from the outside, but he heard voices on the other side, one of which had told him to ‘back the fuck up and be quiet’ or they’d knock his ass out again. He’d kicked the door for good measure and simply began rummaging around. There was nothing useful anywhere. Even the tiny bathroom connected to the room was useless. It had no running water, though he wasn’t sure why that mattered.

When he realized he had no resources, he tried to connect to the mark. But he couldn’t feel Harry. He couldn’t feel anyone. And that was not only really fricken frustrating but confusing. Eventually, he stopped trying, though only because it was making his head hurt worse. 

Finally, he stopped pacing and plopped his rear down on the end of the bed to stare at the door. He wished he could will the damn thing to explode, imagined splinters flying everywhere, pictured the people on the other side getting knocked back. If only. He sighed heavily, closing his eyes and clenching his jaw. This was all some serious bullshit.

He had no idea if the others were okay. He had no idea where Harry was. He had no clue why he’d been kidnapped in the first place. And, seriously, who kidnaps anymore? It was so ‘old school’ mafia. When Harry found him, and he was absolutely positive he would, the vampire was going to be furious. A thought that honestly kind of made Cisco happy, but only because he was really pissed about the current situation.

When the Leshy had forced their way into the hotel room, Cisco had managed to get his licks in. He’d given one of them a bloody nose and managed to shove the other so hard into the desk that he’d snapped it. But then something painfully sharp dug into his neck, and a terrible numbness spread throughout his body before the lights went out. That definitely hadn’t been ‘old school.’

The minutes ticked by until he heard a click and the door opened easily. Leonid stepped in, looking calm but a little disheveled as it shut behind him. There was a tear in his shirt lapel, a button was missing, his hair was ruffled and he had a blossoming bruise along his throat. Instantly, Cisco smiled, standing up and crossing his arms.

“You shouldn’t have pissed him off.” Cisco remarked, his smile only growing at the sentiment. Leonid frowned, then looked him over, studying him head to toe as though he were trying to make sure that Cisco wasn’t actually a ticking time bomb waiting to go off. 

“He called you his mate.” Leonid stated flatly, letting his eyes drift back to Cisco’s as he stuck his hands into his pockets. “I pictured a lot of things about him. Not that, though.” Cisco raised a brow. Mate. Huh. Well, it was definitely a better term than partner. “You don’t look worried. Most people who get taken against their will at least look a little upset.” Cisco just chuckled and shook his head.

“Just because I’m smiling doesn’t mean I don’t want to hit you in the face.” He motioned to Leonid, “Though it looks like Harry beat me to it, eh?”

“Yes, well…” Leonid sighed, moving to lean against the wall without taking his hands out of his pockets, “I suppose it was to be expected. I did take one of his nest.” Cisco furrowed his brows at that.

“Nest? We’re not a nest, we’re a team and a family.” He explained, not sure why it was important. But it felt like it was. Leonid smiled at that.

“Call yourself what you want. Vampires don’t surround themselves with just anyone. Which is neither here nor there at the moment.”

“Right. What exactly do you think you’re gonna gain by taking me? I mean, other than royally pissing off a centuries-old, super-strong guy who keeps himself alive by sheer force of anger alone?” Cisco let both arms fall, glancing at the door. He knew there were probably Leshy on the other side, and he wasn’t dumb enough to actually try to fight Leonid. There was something about him that was actually a little nerve-wracking. Like Cisco could almost feel the tingle of power that flowed off the red-head effortlessly. He didn’t like how it felt.

“Funny.” Leonid said, though hardly sounded as amused as he looked. “Harrison Wells is rather enigmatic, in my opinion. I’ve never met a revenant before. Not sure any of my lineage has. They’re fucking rare. Not to mention most get slaughtered before they ever have the chance to get to Wells’ age and status. There’s also the fact he’s Alpha and has never sired a single vampire. Do you have any idea how out of the mold that is?”

“If you knew him, you wouldn’t think that.” Cisco furrowed his brows as Leonid nodded.

“You’re probably right. His personality is very… oh, what’s the word…” He pulled a hand out of his pocket, then snapped his fingers a few times before pointing at Cisco, “ _Vacillating_.” Cisco raised his brows.

“Sure, okay. What does any of this have to do with killing the Leech, kidnapping me, and pissing off Harry?” He demanded. Leonid seemed content with the question, shrugging a shoulder.

“Nothing. I suppose I’m curious about your take on him. About… why you and that merry band of gifted are even around him. Kidnapping you was necessary, but finding information is always a happy little accident.”

“Who are you, Bob Ross? I’m not telling you shit.” Cisco pointed out calmly. Though, honestly, he was really beginning to understand why Harry wanted to beat the guy all the time.

“Wells said the same thing. Mostly.” Leonid chuckled and shook his head. “You have no idea what you’ve gotten yourself into, do you.” He motioned to Cisco. “They’re not normal. By abnormal standards, that is. Not Wells, not the gifted with him.”

“What does that mean?” Cisco demanded, letting his arms drop. Leonid was quiet, hazel eyes zoned in on him before he tilted his head.

“None of them have told you.” He said quietly, nodding. “Makes sense. Maybe you haven’t been around long enough for them to trust you with it.”

“Trust me with what?” He couldn’t help the edge of anger in his tone, or the confusion. “I’m really getting sick and tired of all the vagueness.” Leonid looked amused at that.

“I’ll make a deal with you, Seer.” He pushed away from the wall, “Keep in mind, I don’t offer this lightly.” He moved back toward the door. “If your mate survives tonight and kills the Leech as we agreed, I’ll tell you everything I know about Harrison Wells and his misfits.” He knocked twice. The door clicked and opened. Leonid looked past him. “If you really want to know, that is. Not all knowledge is good to have. You may want to think about whether or not you want to be left in the dark.” Then he winked and left before Cisco could say anything.

The room was quiet again. Painfully, awfully quiet. 

The ominous tone of Leonid’s words wasn’t lost on him. He knew, logically, the man was probably just trying to ruffle his feathers. But Cisco also knew he’d been living in a world he knew far too little of. He had nothing but serious disadvantages when it came to most of this stuff. There was nothing in him that doubted Harry or the team. They were his life now. He trusted them completely. But the nagging sting of Leonid’s words flourished the tiniest self-doubt. Cisco was smart enough to know that the others probably hadn’t told him everything there was to know, mostly because there was just so damn much. Maybe it was by accident? Maybe it wasn’t conscious on their parts? But the idea they didn’t tell him things because they didn’t trust him was… painful.

He sat back down on the end of the bed, swallowing against the tight stone that settled in his chest. 

No… he couldn’t think like this. He couldn’t let the Leshy get into his head. He knew what Harry, Barry, Iris, Jesse, and Caitlin all meant to him. And he knew damn well what he meant to them. There was no room for doubt. Especially not now. And as the quiet moments ticked by, he held on to that as surely as he was able. If he couldn’t get out of that room, couldn’t physically help, the least he could do was believe in the people who had taken so many chances on him…

* * *

-April 1831-

_Harrison had been following the two humans for close to ten minutes down the well-trod path toward the river. He had figured out the young man’s unfortunate propensity for taking what he wanted without repercussions. It made him a fair target, in the vampire’s eyes. The young lady, who so willingly walked with the distasteful excuse for a young man, had no idea what was about to happen to her. Once the lad had his way with her, she’d be left to deal with the fallout alone. No one would take the word of a maid over the word of an upstanding, rich, young man like Tobias Goodfellow. She probably thought she was living a fantasy right now, having garnered the affections of someone much higher in status than herself. But she was about to walk into a nightmare. Or would be, if Harrison had not caught wind of it all._

_He was not about to let that man hurt one more woman._

“Lunch?” _Sara said beside him, her presence materializing into his senses as she appeared in step with him. He spared her a glance, a slight smile. She nudged him as they kept following, the trees offering them both enough cover to be left unseen. Neither of them made much sound in the dense brush, having learned long ago to move silently._

“Where have you been?” _He asked her calmly, stepping around a fallen, rotten tree trunk._ “You smell like rot and ash.” _She let out a huff of a laugh, hopping over the wood._

“You have such a talent for complimenting the ladies.” _She quipped, making him sigh as he watched Goodfellow stop with the maid, just near the bank of the water, exactly as Harrison knew he would. He paused, Sara stopping right beside him._

“You have smelled like that a lot lately.” _He glanced down at her, watching an expression of uncertainty come over her features. He reached up with one hand, touching her cheek, forcing her eyes to move to him._ “Are you alright, Sara?” _His tone was hushed, but he didn’t hide the worry. For the last few months, he had noticed a change in his companion. There were moments where she seemed confused by everything, moments when the world around her seemed unknown and terrifying to the Leech who had always been so sure and in control. There were times where she would disappear, sometimes for days on end. And he had certainly noticed her memory was not as sharp as it always had been. He furrowed his brows at the confusion that completely took over her features and he faced her, putting his hands on her shoulders._ “You know I am here. I am right here.” _He urged._ “Tell me what is happening.” _She seemed to still, holding his gaze, her brows slowly furrowing as she thought. She stepped a little closer to him and shook her head._

“I do not know.” _She said softly, her voice pained._ “Truly, Harrison. I…” _she paused, glancing beyond him, then let her gaze drop._ “Your food is getting handsy.” _Harrison clenched his jaw and turned to look. Goodfellow had pushed the maid against a tree, the poor girl looking startled as he pressed himself against her, tugging at her skirts as she tried to push him back._

“Stay here, Sara.” _Harrison turned his gaze back to her._ “Please, do not leave.” _He leaned forward and kissed her forehead, then turned and moved toward the two young people. It did not take much to extricate the boy from the maid, the frightened girl pulling her ripped bodice closer around her as tears streaked down her face._ “Run.” _He ordered, no inflection in his tone. The young woman wasted no time, tearing herself away and following the path back as fast as she could._

_Harrison slammed Goodfellow into the tree, holding him by the throat. The young man’s eyes were wide and his heart was hammering in his chest. Harrison spared no second thoughts, not for this human waste. And he fed, taking what he wanted and leaving Goodfellow in a drained, dead heap on the ground. There was no carnage, Harrison having learned years ago how to kill without making an unnecessary mess. He knelt, pulling a knife out of his boot, and he slit the dead man’s throat, hiding the bite. Honestly, if it was not necessary to hide himself, he probably would not have bothered. He did not need to kill in order to feed, not anymore. But for people like this, he gladly made the exception._

_Once he was satisfied with the aftermath, he headed back into the woods where he had left Sara… but she was gone. He looked around in confusion, sighing lightly._ “Dammit, woman.” _He declared quietly, turning in almost a complete circle before he froze at the sound of gurgling, a strange wet gasping sound that was severely out of place in the otherwise quiet woods. He let his senses zone in on it, let the sound of it fill his ears. He moved instantly when he narrowed in on the direction of it, heading out onto the path and further down._

 _What he saw…_ who _he saw…_

_Sara had the maid in her lap, one hand plastered to the woman’s head, the other to her chest. And she was feeding. Though Harrison knew instantly it was more than that._

_In all the years he had known Sara Grayson, she had never killed. Not once. But that was what he was witnessing now._

“Sara! Stop!” _He growled out, speeding to her, pulling the maid sharply out of her hold. Sara hissed, her features growing taught and angry, her all-white eyes widening as she swiped at him. He pushed the maid to the side, the pungent smell of ash and decay penetrated his senses, but he ignored it, grabbing Sara by both forearms and yanking her to a standing position, keeping her at arm’s length._ “Sara, it is me!” _He forced out. She was strong, not nearly as strong as him -and she never could be. But there was something different about her, something very off. She let out a guttural yell, then froze as though she were suddenly startled. Slowly, she relaxed in his hold, brows furrowing as she looked around._

“Harrison?” _She asked softly, her voice shaken._ “What…” _She swallowed, blinking. Tentatively, he let go of her, wary as he turned just enough to look at the maid. The poor woman was… well, she was barely a woman anymore. More like the husk of one. Her lungs barely breathed. Her body had shriveled in on itself, the skin sunk to the bone like wet paper._ “Oh god…” _Sara gasped, her hands coming up to her own face,_ “I… I did not… Harrison, I could not!” _He could hear the horror in her words. He did not look at her. Not yet. He crouched beside the maid, her pale eyes unblinking, staring up at the sky and canopy of trees blankly. He let out a deep breath, then quickly snapped her neck. There was nothing to be done for her now. Ending it quick was a mercy. He heard Sara fall to her knees, her hands flattening to the ground as she let out a shrill yell._

“Sara,” _he whispered roughly, moving to her, pulling her into him._ “What is happening?! Please, tell me what is going on.” _He begged her, closing his eyes as she curled into him, her hands clinging to him roughly. She was sobbing, cries wracking through her, earthquakes of grief and terror he had never seen her. And he held her through it, rocked her gently, held her tightly. Eventually, her fervor slowed, her emotions softened -at least outwardly. She just laid there in his hold, his arms enfolding her as he looked down at her heavily blinking eyes._

“I knew… part of me knew…” _she began, her voice thick with tears._ “I tried to deny it. I… I swore it was simply a nightmare.” _Her small smile was achingly sad. He shook his head as she reached up with one hand, smoothing her palm over his cheek._ “You have been such a blessing to me, Harrison Wells. But you cannot protect me anymore.”

“What are you talking about?” _He growled softly,_ “We have a deal.” _She gave a broken laugh at that, stroking her thumb across his cheekbone._

“My dear friend,” _she dropped her hand to her own stomach,_ “I have lived so very long. Never have I known anyone like you.” _Her eyes glamoured, pupils and brown irises coming forth so he could see her searching his features._ “You are meant for a future I will never see. You will see the other side of this world, the other side of all things.” _Tears streamed out of her eyes unbidden then._

“Sara…” _he shook his head, a tightness forming in his chest. The confusion of the moment, the shock of seeing her killing someone, the intensity of Sara’s own emotions all threatened to suffocate him._

“My time is over. My mind fails me. I will keep killing, keep trying to hold on to what I have lost.” _Her words shook, her hand curled into his shirt,_ “I do not want to die a monster.” _She clenched her jaw hard, teeth grinding together. Her meaning dawned on him painfully sharp. He inhaled, looking up and past her, staring hard at the dead maid._

“I am not… I…” _he felt his throat tighten, his own words choke as his eyes drifted back to her,_ “I do not want to lose you. I am not ready for…” _He could not even finish the sentence. She smiled tenderly at him, nodding in his hold._

“None of us are truly ready, Harrison. We are never ready to die, or to lose one… one we care so much about.” _She let out a small sob but smiled._ “I have taught you all that I can. You must hang on a little longer. You have the will to fight.” _He felt his face crumple slightly, squeezing his eyes shut as blood-tinged tears streamed down his cheeks._ “I meant what I said. You are destined for so much more than you realize. You will know so much pain and hardship, but you will also change this world, Harrison Wells. Do you hear me?” 

_He opened his eyes, his hand coming up to stroke her hair as she continued urgently._ “You are not man, not vampire, not monster or whatever else you have always believed you are.” _She took in a deep breath, letting it out slow, a determined fade glowing on her face._ “You are that which has no name, and the best of all that does. Someday, the world will know change it cannot quantify. And you will be the one to help those who will be lost. I wish…” _Her voice caught,_ “I wish I could have seen that.” 

"I do not understand." His voice was raspier than usual, shaken as he tried to make sense of her words. She simply nodded.

"You do not need to. Not yet." _Sara sobbed once more and closed her eyes before curling completely into him._ “I am so sorry, Harrison. But... please, let me go. Please…” 

_Harrison nodded, looking away. Quiet settled around them. He continued rocking her gently, his hand stroking her hair as she became calmer and calmer and he did his best to stamp down the painful grief that threatened to undo him._ “Do you think I will see heaven?” _She whispered once the world had forgotten they were still sitting there. He cleared his throat a little, tears still wet on his face as he looked down at her. Her eyes were still closed. She looked almost peaceful. It tore him apart inside._

“I do not know what is waiting for us when we die.” _He admitted quietly,_ “But I do know you deserve nothing less than heaven.” _She smiled at his words, opening her now colorless eyes tiredly._

“Such a charmer.” _She said, then reached up and wiped some of the tears from his face._ “Goodbye, my friend.” _He swallowed hard, nodding, reaching up and holding her hand against his face for a moment before kissing her palm, then leaning down and kissing her forehead._

_He did not drain her. Did not bleed her dry. He would never do that to her._

_His hands cradled her head, at first gently, waiting till she closed her eyes. And as she smiled, he twisted quickly and sharply, snapping her neck. For all that Leech were the cousins of vampire, they were far more fragile._

_The sudden empty feeling that surrounded him tore an inhuman yell from his throat, his hands trembling as he pulled her close, held her tightly. Birds flew in a flurry from a nearby tree, an animal squealed in fright. And there in the woods of Alabama, a vampire grieved for a Leech, his sorrow heard in soft sobs as he said goodbye._

_He buried her there, by the stream at the end of the path that ended eventually in a river, surrounding her unmarked grave with all the flowers he could find. And as night came, the body of the maid was discovered deposited gently on the doorstep of her family. Goodfellow’s corpse was left in a ditch where it would not be found until it had decomposed considerably. The world would never know what happened to those two young people that day, but they would both be buried by the church._

_There would never be eulogies spoken for Sara Grayson, however. No one would know about the woman who was born on a ship sailing to the New World, raised by a baker, spending her childhood running around the shores of an unnamed town with dirt in her skirts and a smile on her face, dying of disease in her early twenties only to rise again as a Leech who would one day choose to befriend a monster._

_History would never know her._

_But Harrison Wells would never forget._

_For so many preternatural creatures like vampire and Leech, death was a part of life. It came and came and came, over and over. Decades passed, centuries, and he watched people die. Good, bad, otherwise. There were those who grew close to him, who would not let him have a say in whether he was alone in his endless existence. But every day, no matter how long he lived and no matter who came into or left his life, he remembered. The faces, the names, the places. He remembered all of it._

_And, most of all, he remembered the lessons he learned along the way. Including everything Sara Grayson had taught him at the start. Like how to live among humans, how to feed without killing, how to fight for what was right and good, and how to use his mind and strength to better the world._

_Sara had taught him to never give up on the future, to believe that he was still going on for a reason, to not lose faith in humanity. And she’d taught him that he needed people, not just for sustenance, but to truly live._

_Death was a part of life. Not the end of it._

_And though she was gone from the world, he carried Sara everywhere with him. The history books would never speak her name. But what she had taught a vampire with a soul would help change the world someday, one lesson at a time…_

* * *

“We all die. The goal isn’t to live forever. The goal is to create something that will…” – Charles Palahniuk


	15. "We’re all here."

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Harry confronts the Leech, but some things are not as they seem.
> 
> New powers come into play, adding more uncertainty to an already tumultuous situation.
> 
> And a secret hiding in Cisco's past is about to come to light...

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Heeeeey, y'all!
> 
> I hope you all had a safe and happy New Year. I am so, so, so sorry about how long it took me to get this chapter out. My health (which is steadily getting better) was pretty awful. But I am very much hoping to get back into doing regular updates! So thank you for hanging in there! I look forward to seeing any questions/comments y'all may have. Thank you for reading. You all are the reason my muse sticks around. Love yas! --QD

Harry felt strong, his power rippling beneath the surface, flowing in a cool current.

He was charged to the max, in a way. The team had focused their energy on him for a good ten minutes, in a sense letting him use their combined Spectral energy to boost his own Source. It was something they’d learned to do years ago, but not something anyone outside of their inner circle knew anything about. Mostly because anyone in the preturnatural community who found out about it could use it against them, might even kill them for it. It shouldn’t have been possible, and typically anything out of the norm (even for abnormals) was met with hostility instead of understanding. It made it hard to do research, to figure out if anyone else could do the things they did. 

It usually came down to one answer: no. Simply because there had never been a revenant that had lived to Harry’s age, or at least one they knew of. If any revenant had been able to connect with Gifted like he could, it was never spoken about or recorded. And any genetic knowledge of it didn’t exist. At least not in Harry or Snow. He had a feeling they could spend years trying to figure out why they were all so different, even under abnormal circumstances, and they’d never be able to truly understand it. None of which mattered now.

It was dark. The sort of dark that was only randomly negated by the sickly yellow streetlights and the occasional car in the distance. The neighborhood he’d eventually found his way to was desolate, to say the least. There were no house lights on, the homes rather disheveled or old. Though the yards seemed somewhat taken care of, there was the distinct smell of stale alcohol, trash, drugs, and other aromas mingling in the air. 

It had taken him hours once the sun had set to find this square of rundown living near the outskirts of Niagara. Following the Leech’s trail was simple enough once he’d found the scent. But the woman had traveled so much throughout the city over the last several weeks that her trail crisscrossed with itself, a winding and frustrating path with no real destination. It was a good thing her scent was distinct. No matter what else they may smell of, all Leech had the underlying aroma of rosin; an earthy, wet, and old pine scent. Though that wasn’t the only reason he’d found her scent so easily. 

The smell of decay, of ash and rot, had permeated the Leech’s natural odor. It was familiar in a way he hated, a way he tried very hard not to dwell on. He didn’t have time for painful memories. The longer it took him to find and dispose of the Leech, the longer it took him to get Ramon back. A fact that had settled painfully in his head, making his anger taste caustic in his mouth.

Harry stood in the center of the street. 

It was slightly windy. A chill breeze pushed at him softly, a dirty paper cup rolling clunkily past his feet as his eyes flashed mirror-like in the dark, roaming the area around him. The Leech’s smell was stronger here than anywhere… along with the smell of something completely out of place, something he didn’t dare put a name to just yet. The wind helped carry the scent straight to him. He stayed completely still, watching, waiting, listening. His hands hung empty at his sides. He was wearing his typical black attire. He probably stood out like a sore thumb in the faded streetlight’s glow. But it was well past midnight, and he couldn’t sense anyone awake nearby. Even if someone saw him, that wasn’t his problem. 

“Cousin…” A soft, almost sweet voice met his ears. He felt her instantly, as though she’d materialized, the heaviness of power and the edge of fear settling on his skin as he slowly turned to see the woman standing in the road behind him. She was only a few inches shorter than him. Her short-buzzed hair was brown. Her completely white eyes looked bloodshot. She was wearing the same clothes he’d seen in the photos, but the sweatshirt was a faded purple and the jeans barely looked like jeans because they were so torn and dirty. The woman looked like she’d been sleeping in dumpsters and hadn’t showered in weeks. The sight of her was a bit confusing. Because if there was anything he knew about Leech, it was that they tried very hard to fit in with humanity. 

If anything, this Leech was practically a beacon of filth. 

He turned completely, hands curling into fists as she took another tentative step toward him. Her skin was dirty, her probably lovely face was covered in patches of soot and something he thought could have been mud. There was also dried blood on part of her shirt. Her nails were caked with dirt, brittle, and cracked. She had definitely seen better days. 

“Cousin.” He responded quietly. He wasn’t sure why he was even bothering to be formal. Maybe he couldn’t quite help it. Maybe he was thinking a little more about Sara Grayson than he wanted to admit. But it was also simply the look of this woman. It was all just so _wrong_. He let his eyes roam over her entire form, and she seemed to shrink in on herself a little, tugging her hands into her sleeves and hunching her shoulders at his intent gaze.

“If I’d known I’d be seeing… seeing… seeing…” she repeated, face turned down, tone barely above a whisper, her head tilting a little. Then she smacked her forehead repeatedly with one palm and laughed before looking back up at him. “Stuck. I get stuck. Since it sparked. It sparked and now I get stuck.” 

Harry blinked, brows furrowing. This was… strange.

Even when Sara had lost herself, she had not been this far gone. Maybe he’d helped her die before she could have. And yet, that didn’t feel true to him. This Leech was suffering, but not from what had ended Sara. Something else was going on, something to do with the other scent in the mix. Something the Leshy hadn’t told him about. Harry had a feeling Leonid had known the Leech wasn’t just age afflicted. That fucking bastard was going to have even more to answer for when Harry got back. 

“What’s your name?” He asked gently, letting his hands relax. He knew he was supposed to kill her, to end her spree of death. But his instinct was screaming at him. This Leech, this woman… she needed help. She raised both brows at his question and smiled brightly. Her teeth were slightly yellow, but her smile was lovely. She stepped forward twice and held a hand out surprisingly fast. 

“Catalina. But family calls me Cat.” She practically beamed at him, like a child. He glanced at her hand, taking a steady step forward and taking it. Her skin was dry. He could feel the dirt. But he shook amicably, watching her face as he did. He could feel her power even more now. Her smell was thick, too thick. But he focused on her energy. He wanted to see if he could pinpoint something, anything that might be out of place. He didn’t let go of her hand, stepping even closer and clasping his other gently over the back of it. 

“Hello, Cat.” He said, offering the warmest smile he could muster. “I’m Harry.” She didn’t seem perturbed in the least that he was holding her hand in both of his. Part of him knew it was because he was a vampire. She probably didn’t see him as much of a threat. Vampires and Leech tended to simply avoid each other. And if they came in contact, they mostly let each other be. If Cat felt him scanning her energy, she didn’t react to it. She did however giggle, tapping her temple with her free hand.

“Harry. I like Harry. Harry.” She repeated. “Are you hungry? Harry, are you hungry? I’m always hungry.” Her face slowly took on an expression of concern, which was surprisingly easy to see even with her white eyes.

“We can find you sustenance.” He answered, his eyes lowering to her throat. He felt inconsistency, something alien, the out-of-place scent he’d noticed earlier reaching him more. It was definitely something a Leech shouldn’t have. “But first, I’d like to see if I can help you. Would you let me do that?” He asked, letting go of her hand and reaching up carefully. She looked confused, blinking at him. But she didn’t pull away as he grabbed the material of her sweatshirt and pulled it aside, away from her neck. No one else would have been able to see it. But he could. There, on her skin, was a brand. Glowing with an otherworldly light. It made him fight the urge to hiss, to bare his fangs. 

Evil, _real evil_ , had a scent all its own. Sulfur and rotten blood. The brand wreaked of it. Not only that, evil had a distinct energy to it. One all vampires instinctively knew, simply because so much of what they were was made of it. But there, on the Leech’s body, it was horridly out of place and infecting her whole being. The brand spelled out three words: _energy, feed, death_. Simple words with terrible implications.

“Who did this to you?” He demanded, angry at the idea that someone would taint her like this. God, she probably had no idea what she was even doing. All those people she’d killed? None of that had been her choice. The brand was Ancient Sumerian, by the look of it. And by the feel of it, it had been placed at least several years ago and was very powerful. It had taken a peaceful creature and turned her into a tool for death. 

“Me, me… me. I’m not me. Not me.” She began to mutter, swaying side to side, wringing her hands harshly. Harry felt a sudden surge of energy, a rush of power that physically pushed him back from her a good few feet. He planted his boots to the tar, hands turning into fists as he watched her. 

“Cat, look at me.” He spoke steadily, keeping eye contact. She kept swaying. But when she met his stare, a sob escaped her lips, the power exploded. 

It threw him. 

He hadn’t expected that, his body slamming hard into a parked car with no tires. Glass shattered, his body bent the frame with audible metal creaks. He fell to his hands and knees on the street, coughing. _Fuck_. Cat looked like she was about to cry, her head shaking, one hand smacking her forehead again. She had no control over this. None. All that power she kept consuming was like a ticking time bomb. It was overflowing, and her raw emotional state was letting it run rampant. The brand was acting as a conduit. Every time she fed, it would collect more energy. More than any Leech could handle. When the brand’s purpose was threatened, it would expel that energy. And its purpose? That was painfully simple. 

Whoever had branded Cat wanted Death. And lots of it. 

Leonid had been correct about one thing… the Leech needed to be stopped. But Harry didn’t want to kill her, not anymore. He could have kicked himself for thinking it had all been so cut and dry. But none of that mattered now. All that mattered was destroying the brand, saving the Leech, and hopefully making it back in one piece. Much easier said than done. The only way he’d be able to break the brand was either by killing Cat, which he wasn’t going to do now, or biting into the brand itself and forcing his own power in. Two dueling evil essences couldn’t dwell in one creature. It was one of the more irrefutable laws of preturnaturals. His Source would corrupt the brand’s purpose and it would break instantly. Hopefully without killing either one of them in the process.

Harry stood up, feeling a thick ache run up his spine. He spat blood onto the ground, thick and congealed. His own. He hated the taste of it. If lashing out like that could hurt him like this, he was in trouble. But Ramon was in trouble, too. And so was this Leech. He had to get closer. Had to get his fangs in her neck. There was simply no alternative…

* * *

Cisco quickly sat upright on the bed. 

He’d lain down at one point, boredom having him count old, off-white, and water-stained ceiling tiles out loud, in Spanish, in English, in what little French he knew. But the second he felt pain, every nerve went instantly on edge. He sprung out of that bed, clutching his chest with one hand and the mark on his neck with the other, eyes wide as it seared through him. But the oddest part was, it didn’t feel physical. He felt it in the mark, in his Spectra. And somehow, he knew it wasn’t his. 

“Harry!” He nearly choked out. Something was wrong. Very, very wrong. He whirled for the door and slammed a fist against it. “HEY!” He yelled, “Let me outta here! Right now! Harry’s in trouble!” He railed against the door, breathing heavily. Pain shot through him again, but differently. Still in the same areas, but like the pain had been on a different part of Harry’s body. He could feel it, feel Harry being hurt!

“Open the door, you bastards!” He kicked it desperately, then backed up, hands going to his hair. He felt close to hyperventilating. Harry was hurt. Harry was in trouble. He didn’t know how he knew it or why he was suddenly feeling things through the mark when he hadn’t been able to all day. And honestly, he didn’t fucking care. He had to get out of that room, had to get to Harry. He let out a sound that was a half-choked yell. Panic was real and terrible, like he’d felt when Harry’s heart had begun to beat. But it was more than that. It was fear. Painful, burning fear. Because he couldn’t lose Harry. 

And then he felt something different. Something new, and yet familiar. He felt… _power_.

His whole body tingled with it, his arms jolted outright, his hands opening seemingly on their own. And he felt energy just ripple out of him. It slammed into the door. And the door? It flew open, splintered on its hinges, the two men beyond it flying forward and smashing into a wall in a dim hallway. The force of it all had pushed Cisco back, landing him on his ass back on the bed. 

“Hooooly… what?!” He whispered hoarsely, looking at his hands like he didn’t recognize them. And honestly, he sorta didn’t. They looked almost dark blue, though it began fading before his eyes. He swallowed, looking out into the hallway. The two men were moving, so… not dead. Which was good, he supposed. But he wasn’t going to wait around to see if they’d want to get their own licks in.

He bounded off the bed, out the hall, stepped over the men with a ‘Sorry, fellas!’ and a grimace before turning the corner and slamming his way out a fire-door into a stairwell. He needed to find the others, needed to get to Harry. Even though whatever had just happened was weird as shit, he didn’t have time to think about what it was or what it meant. Because another rush of pain went through him, far worse than the first two. And he knew with everything he was that Harry was in very real trouble…

* * *

Harry was down on one knee, one hand flat on the pavement, the other holding his abdomen. Everything hurt in a way he hadn’t experienced in a very long time. He was sure things were broken, sure he was probably losing more blood than was safe. But he couldn’t stop now. The more and more the brand expelled power, the weaker Cat seemed to get. Which was good. It meant if he could drain the brand just enough, he’d be able to end all this.

“Cat, it’s going to be alright.” He groaned out, getting to his feet and swaying but refusing to fall. Cat was on the ground, curled in on herself, hiding her face and sobbing hard. He could taste her terror, her pain. She was so engulfed by it, along with weakness. She had no fight left in her. How long had this brand been controlling her? How long had she been killing people against her will? He couldn’t imagine how horrific her life had been since the brand activated. And despite the danger to himself, all he wanted to do now was save her. Even at the expense of himself. Yes, killing her would be far simpler and far less painful for himself. But she deserved to be saved, not destroyed.

So he pushed forward. 

“No, no!” She moaned out, tightening her arms around herself. “Harry, HARRY! NO!” She practically screeched. He felt the brand flare again, power pushing out. He instinctively crouched, not sure what good it would do but not feeling like being thrown like a rag doll again. The power seared into him, shoving him onto his back. And though it hurt like an absolute bitch, making his lungs feel like pudding, he knew instantly there hadn’t been nearly as much energy to it as the previous blows. Again and again, he pushed forward. He made his way back to Cat. And the brand attacked him, again and again. 

By the time he reached her, he could barely stand. Which was fine, since Cat wasn’t standing, either. He pulled her into his lap as the brand reacted to his proximity hard and made some of his ribs shatter. He felt them break, and it pulled a mix between a sob and growl out of his mouth. But he didn’t stop. 

“Sorry, sorry, I’m sorry! It’s not me, not me, not me!” She cried, clinging to him. He just nodded, saying nothing. Then, before the brand could react again, he yanked her up, twisted her head to the side, and sunk his fangs into her throat…

* * *

Cisco was practically clinging to the doorframe. Everything hurt, like his whole body was one big bruise. Caitlin had her hands on him, tears pouring down her face as she felt his pain… no, not _his_ pain… _Harry’s_ pain. 

“We have to find h-him.” He managed to breathe out. 

“How is this happening?” Barry asked beside them, a hand on both of them to steady them. Iris was frantically trying to call Harry’s cell. Jesse was pacing, watching in aching silence.

“It’s the mark. It’s mirroring Harry’s pain.” Caitlin managed to get out. “I don’t know how.” 

“It doesn’t matter how!” Cisco snapped, then squeezed his eyes shut. “How do we find Harry?” He demanded. Barry nodded, then moved away. He pulled open his laptop and sat. Iris and Jesse both moved to his side.

“What are you doing?” Iris asked. 

“Harry’s tracker should be active in his phone.” He shrugged.

“Didn’t he tell you to shut that off months ago?” Iris raised a brow, putting a hand on his shoulder. Barry smirked a little as he was typing, then waited. 

“Yeah… I forgot. But that’s a good thing.” He clicked on the screen a few times. “There.” He pointed to a spot on the screen.

“That’s like a twenty-minute drive.” Jesse spoke up. Iris nodded. 

“SUV is already waiting downstairs.” Iris turned and stopped when she saw the look on both Cisco and Caitlin’s faces. Because while they’d all been busy with the computer, the pain had stopped. Entirely. Cisco had his hands in his hair, aware he probably looked as scared as he felt. 

“Caitlin…” he whispered, holding her gaze. She shook her head slowly. 

“I can’t feel it, either.” She let her hands fall from him. 

“Is that a good thing or a bad thing?!” he demanded, hands dropping, eyes roaming from person to person. 

“We… we can all still feel him through the mark, right? So he’s still alive. He has to be.” Jesse stated, holding her wrist. Everyone nodded at that and Barry stood. 

“Come on. Let’s go.” Iris urged. And like that, they were all rushing downstairs, out of the lobby, and into the waiting SUV. Barry drove, Cisco sitting in the front beside him, wringing his hands and focusing on the cool sensation of Harry’s presence. He held onto it, let it fill him up. Because Jesse was right. He had to be alive. Maybe not feeling that intense mirroring of Harry’s pain was a good thing, maybe whatever was happening had stopped?

“Hang on, Harry.” He whispered, and he felt Caitlin’s hand from behind, gripping his shoulder. “Just hang on…”

* * *

Harry was staring up at the dark sky. 

Everything was quiet pain. 

Cat was lying beside him, on her side, clinging to him, just breathing. She had her eyes closed, straddling the line between consciousness and blinking out. The brand was destroyed, and all the energy she’d consumed was gone. She was weak, probably too weak to survive the night if she didn’t feed. But he couldn’t help her with that. Harry was no better off.

He was certain organs had been destroyed. That he had more than a few broken bones, including along his spine. His lungs felt deflated, which was fine because he didn’t technically need to breathe. And though bleeding wasn’t as profuse or quick as it was for a human, he could feel that he was bleeding internally. He didn’t dare move. He just laid there, letting his Source spread, letting it numb him. 

It had been a very, very long time since he’d experienced damage like this. Healing would be difficult. He would need to feed far more than he normally did, would have to fall into the Void. And he couldn’t accurately predict how long he’d be out for. It wasn’t really up to him. The Void controlled that. But the idea worried him a little, considering what had happened the last time he’d rested. What if it happened again? Would it affect his healing? At this point, he supposed it didn’t quite matter. He wouldn’t have a choice, either way.

He slowly, stiffly slipped a hand into his pocket and pulled out his phone. A sigh escaped his mouth when he saw it. He couldn’t call the others now. His phone had been crushed. He let it fall out of his hand with a clatter against the street, his hand dropping to his side. He hadn’t updated the team on where he’d ended up, which was half out of wanting to protect them and half because he was just too focused on the Leech’s energy to bother. That was most likely a mistake now. 

“Thank you.” He heard Cat speak, her voice strained and exhausted. He slowly turned his head, which was so much more difficult than it should have been. She was blinking at him, one shaking hand raising to slide onto his cheek. “You saved me.” He watched tears roll out of her eyes. 

“You’re dying.” He spoke up, his own voice sounding like he’d chain-smoked a pack of cigarettes. Her hand was so light on his skin. It felt natural to be that close to her, which was more to do with what they were than anything else.

“So are you.” She cracked a small smile but closed her eyes. “Death is preferable to…” she didn’t finish the sentence. “Why?” She let her eyes flutter open, “Why did you save me?” Hearing her speak in unbroken, intelligent sentences was gratifying in a strange way. He smiled tiredly at her. 

“Because you needed saving.” It wasn’t really an answer. But it would suffice. Honestly, he couldn’t have just killed her after realizing what was happening. It would have been easier. A whole lot less destructive to his body. But she hadn’t deserved it. Not any of it. It made him think about Sara in painful detail, swallowing lightly and feeling a heavy tiredness flow over him. “There’s a Leshy here… he wanted you dead. I was going to kill you… but I couldn’t. Not after I felt the brand.” She blinked at that, then seemed to look over him slowly. 

“You’re a revenant.” She whispered, almost sounding awed by the prospect. 

“Don’t tell anyone.” He smirked a little, then turned his head, her hand falling away as his eyes drifted back to the night sky. “My people will find us. We just have to hold on till then.” It was quiet after that. The two of them laying there, her exhausted form and his pained one existing in a silent, empty street together in almost welcome solidarity. 

Several minutes went by before Cat spoke again.

“All those people…” There was a thickness to her soft tone, unshed tears choking her voice. “I couldn’t stop myself. I tried, god I tried so hard.” He felt her move closer to him, her hand gently flattening on his chest. He closed his eyes at the feel of it. She weighed practically nothing, her hand a feather-light thing.

“Cat, do you know who branded you?” He asked without opening his eyes. He couldn’t feel his legs anymore. That didn’t bode well. But he was trying not to focus on his body. 

“I didn’t know when it happened. But I know now.” She let out a heavy sigh. “There was a vampire, about nine years ago. I was making my rounds at the homeless shelters. I’m… I was… a social worker.” She sounded bitter, he could hardly blame her. “She branded me and blocked my memory of it. None of this started happening until a few months ago.” Months… the idea of that made his stomach turn. To be used like that? To have no control over oneself? It was truly upsetting.

“The vampire… was she blond?” He asked pointedly. Cat stilled beside him, then he felt her press her forehead into his upper arm. 

“You know her.” She didn’t ask. 

“I wish I didn’t.” He found himself admitting, eyes opening heavily. “Do you know why she did it?”

“She said in time I would be used to test and hurt another. I’m guessing she meant you.”

“Test…” Harry furrowed his brows, blinking. Hurt was something that made sense. But test? What would she need to test him for? She knew, better than most, what he was capable of and how strong he was. He closed his eyes again. “I’m sorry, Cat. This is all my fault.”

“I doubt you had anything to do with it.” Her voice had gotten softer, and yet she sounded so sure.

“You don’t even know me.”

“I know you’re in pain and dying because you wouldn’t kill me. I know you saved me.” Though quiet, her tone was stern. Harry doubted there was much more he could say after that. And it didn’t help that his upper body had begun to go numb. He couldn’t feel his arms anymore. And he could feel unconsciousness creeping in on him. That was bad for a vampire. Because it wasn’t resting. It wasn’t sleeping. It wasn’t falling into the Void. It meant no control. It meant the outside world could do what it wanted and he was powerless against it. It also meant Harry wouldn’t be able to feed right away, wouldn’t be able to slip into the Void. “Harry…” Cat’s voice sounded very far away to him. “Hold on. I hear a vehicle. Please, just hold on…”

He didn’t respond. Couldn’t. There was a distinct feeling of quiet, stillness. As though he were laying in a field of snow, untouched and surrounded by emptiness. 

“Cisco…” he whispered, the tug he knew so well forcing him to focus for a brief moment as he felt the presence of the man he loved. He was close. Very close. Which had to mean Cisco was safe, right? That thought inwardly made Harry elated. But it didn’t last. Because the stars above began to fade from view. The feel of Cat’s form beside him disappeared altogether. The sound of tires screeching echoed oddly in his ears. He heard doors opening, footsteps hitting the tar.

“Hey! Get away from him!” He heard Cisco’s angry and worried tone and he forced himself to blink, grimacing a little as he tried to focus on speaking.

“Ramon… she was used…” He managed. “S-save her.” He wasn’t sure if anyone heard. Wasn’t sure it would be enough. But it would have to do. The last thing he registered, before a sort of darkness he wasn’t acquainted with swallowed him whole, was a familiar hand in his hair. Then he faded into a nothing he prayed wouldn’t last…

* * *

\- September 2005 - 

_Three hours after his father’s funeral, Cisco Ramon was sitting on the front porch swing alone. The inside of the house was still crowded, people coming and going to eat food and say useless words of regret and sorrow. His mother was playing hostess, doing her best not to break down every ten minutes. His brother went back and forth between talking to people and playing the old piano in the dining room. No one seemed to bother with Cisco. In fact, no one seemed to notice him at all. He was fine with that._

_It was cool outside, the temperature somehow a comforting chill that penetrated the folds of the brown suit jacket that he hated. His mother threatened to take away his grid paper if he took it off. It didn’t matter that it was too big for him. It was the only suit jacket he had. The tan pants and black tie added to all that made him feel like a fraud, his brushed-back hair refusing to really stay in place no matter how much gel he plastered to it. He was pretty sure he looked like a kid trying to play dress up in his father’s clothes. Except he was almost seventeen and hadn’t really felt like a kid in a very long time._

_There were no clouds, no rain, none of the other stuff he thought should have been filling up the world on a day like this. Just clear blue sky that stretched on past the modest houses, just a few red and black birds flitting about from fall colored tree to power line and back, just an orange cat sleeping on the hood of a beat-up Toyota truck on the curb. It was all too normal, all too pretty. His dad would have loved that, the strange irony of it._

“Francisco.” _A soft but authoritative male voice made him jump a little, hand gripping the armrest of the porch swing a little tighter than he probably needed to. He didn’t know why, but he’d been incredibly jumpy the last few weeks. He thought it was because they’d all known his father was ready to let go. That one day soon he’d fall asleep and not wake up. And they’d been right. But the tightness in Cisco’s chest refused to ease up, the terror of losing his father clutching onto him and refusing to let go even though Roberto Ramon was well and truly dead._

_The man pulled his hands out of the pockets of his tailored gray pantsuit pockets, holding them empty for Cisco to see. He was wearing a pair of shiny black loafers, and a matching gray vest and tie. His shirt was white, his belt was black, and his eyes were sparkling with life that Cisco almost instantly hated. His graying hair and gentle expression made Cisco think that -head to toe- he gave off a professor vibe._

“May I?” _The man motioned to the empty space on the swing beside him when Cisco still didn’t respond. Then he just sat before Cisco could so much as blink._ “Beautiful day, indeed.” _He spoke, looking out at the quiet street that was filled with parked cars for the wake, tugging a little on his vest, and crossed his legs._

“Sorry… do I know you?” _Cisco asked, aware he sounded not only confused but annoyed. He’d been keeping up the pleasant façade all day for strangers. He didn’t want to do it anymore._

“No.” _The man said, smiling at him and folding his hands in his lap._ “But I knew Roberto. Very well, in fact. He told me all about you, young man. I’m Martin.”

“Martin… my Dad never mentioned a Martin.” _Cisco responded flatly. That only seemed to make the man smile more. Who the heck was this guy?_

“Ah, well… he most likely wouldn’t have. In fact, I’d be very surprised if he had.” _He looked back out at the parked cars._ “I do know he cherished the evenings where you played endless games of Scrabble, beating him at every turn, and the times you cooked together, making meals he was certain would never have tasted as good if you hadn’t helped, and the visits to the Science Center, as eager to learn as you were to teach him what you already knew. He always said you were far smarter than anyone he’d ever known.” _Cisco blinked at him before looking away, feeling like shrinking into the oversized jacket._ “He is… was… very proud of you, Francisco.”

“Cisco.” _He said meekly. He wasn’t entirely sure why, but he felt out of place next to Martin. Like he was some sort of misfit in the presence of royalty. The guy gave off what Cisco could only describe as clean, crisp energy that was somehow very… old. Martin chuckled lightly beside him._

“Yes, of course, Cisco. My apologies.” 

“How did you know my Dad?” _He found himself asking, absently beginning to pick at a loose string on the cuff of his jacket. Martin took in a deep breath, letting it out slowly._

“We met many years ago, when he was a young man. Not much older than you, actually. He was very talented, able to help me in my work.”

“Dad was a bank manager.” _He half-whispered. The more and more he sat there beside Martin, the more and more he felt that tightening in his chest come into focus. He’d been very careful not to really talk to people about his Dad all day. Or maybe they’d all been careful not to talk to him. Either way, it was almost suffocating him… talking about his Dad like this so… pleasantly. Nothing about the months of illness and radiation and weight loss and eventual wasting away was even close to being pleasant. His Dad’s death had been torture._

“Roberto was a great many things. Bank manager, husband, father, friend. The list goes on.” _He reached inside his suit jacket, then, a strangely graceful movement that drew Cisco’s attention instantly. Martin produced a business-sized envelope, turned it in both his hands to reveal the words ‘Francisco Ramon’ written in his father’s aged cursive on the front. Then he held it out toward him._ “He was also a forward thinker. He knew this day was coming. And he wanted to be prepared for it.” _Cisco swallowed hard, eyes darting up to Martin’s. The man looked calm and somewhat softened by Cisco’s presence, the slightest hint of true regret in his stare. It seemed out of place to Cisco. A lot of people today had named regrets. But not once had he really seen it in anyone’s eyes. Slowly, he reached across himself and took the envelope. It felt like it weighed a ton and nothing at all, all at once._ “Whatever Roberto has to say in this letter, or whatever he doesn’t say in it, know he loved you. Everything he did for you was done out of that immense love that a father had for his son. You, my boy, were incredibly lucky.”

_Cisco felt the tears fall from his eyes. Burning hot and slick like the rain that hadn’t even fallen today. It made him blink rapidly, tearing his stare away and furrowing his brows as he brought his free hand up and roughly wiped at his cheeks. He hadn’t even known he’d been on the verge of crying. But something about it made the tightening in his chest waver… just a little._

_Martin patted his arm gently, standing and slipping his hands back into his pockets._

“The years to come will have their challenges. And when it’s at its worst, you’re going to wish your father was here.” _He looked up at the sky, smiling a little._ “Know that you are more like your father than you realize. Physically he has gone. But spiritually?” _He looked back at Cisco with a wink._ “He is in everything you do. You are never truly alone, young man.”

_Without another word, or a chance for Cisco to say anything in return, he stepped off the porch and began walking away. Cisco sat there staring, even after Martin had disappeared into a shiny black Lincoln, pulling away. Even after the cat jumped off the truck. Even after his brother started up a song on the piano again. When he finally looked down at the envelope in his hands, his fingers had made creases in the paper._

_He never opened that letter. Never once unsealed the envelope._

_He kept it, like a reminder of what he’d lost and a future he couldn’t see. But he never knew what was inside of it. He never told his mother or brother about Martin. He never revealed to anyone that in his father’s last days, it was only to Francisco Ramon that he’d bothered to write something to. When his depression was its worst, when a day was its hardest, Cisco would hold that envelope in his hands and run his fingers over every crease. He’d contemplate opening it, wonder what had been so important for Roberto Ramon to say… then he’d put it back in his tattered cardboard keepsake box, hidden away like a dark secret, sure that whatever it was, Cisco would always be too afraid to know…_

* * *

It was quiet. The sort of silence that reminded him of nighttime in winter, when heavy snow was falling and the city fell into a momentary hibernation, when the sky was thick with a blanket of snow, made orange by the millions of city lights. It was a quiet Cisco had always liked. It made him feel safe, like someone had pressed a stop button on all the chaos, reminding himself, and hopefully everyone else, how to breathe again. He had always been able to find comfort in it. 

The quiet now wasn’t comforting.

It was numbing. Or maybe it was just amplifying the numbness he had begun to feel after they’d gotten Harry settled at the hotel. Everything had moved so fast, a blur of moments he had been completely incapable of focusing on. All that he’d known for sure was Harry was really, really hurt. The Leech was not evil. And Cisco himself had wanted to throw up.

Seeing Harry like that… his skin covered in dark veins and nearly paperwhite, thick blood in places, dark gray bruises in others, unmoving beyond a few words and slow blinks as he seemed to drift in and out of an ever failing consciousness… it had made Cisco angry, sad, sick, afraid, more.

Caitlin had been on top of everything, however. Cisco was so fucking grateful for that. 

It had been painfully apparent, from the moment they’d found Harry, just how little Cisco knew of vampires and Leech and Leshy and the whole fucking universe. He’d felt like he was about as intelligent as a hollow log, floating haphazardly along and bumping into every damn thing along the way. But Caitlin? She simply gave orders and was instantly hands-on and seemed to know exactly what Harry needed, what the Leech needed. Barry and Iris were right there, a buffer between the group and the Leshy who’d met them at the door of the hotel. Even Jesse, though distraught in her own way, seemed to know what needed to be done.

Leo didn’t let them go to the hotel room, instead ushering the group into a lower part of the hotel, beyond prying eyes. There was a whole medical clinic area down there, set up in pristine whites and silvers, with equipment Cisco had never seen and people none of them knew. A woman with supremely dark skin and even darker eyes seemed in charge once they were there, the others doing everything she said. He found out later she was a doctor, a ‘specialist,’ and she seemed completely thorough and knowledgeable. Like Caitlin, she seemed to intuitively know what Harry and the Leech needed. 

And the Leech… dammit, Cisco wanted to hate her. For everything she’d done to Harry. But he couldn’t. Because maybe she hadn’t done anything at all. Harry had said to save her, that she’d been used. It hadn’t been much to go on. But after seeing her laying on the road with him, her own frightened words of _‘Please help us, please don’t let him die!’_ spoken with a broken voice, none of them could do anything but help her. Now she was passed out on a gurney on the far end of the room, hooked up to all manner of things, breathing softly in the numbing quiet. She hadn’t remained conscious long enough to answer any questions. 

Harry, on the other hand, had struggled his hardest to remain conscious. He’d bounced back and forth like a pinball, startling himself every now and then as his bloodshot eyes flew open. It was strange to watch, only because his body didn’t jolt when he startled awake as it should have. Cisco had caught words and phrases from the doctor and others as they worked to set Harry up with a ‘forced blood intake.’ Hearing Caitlin say, _‘His spine’s been crushed,’_ and the doctor say, _‘Both lungs have collapsed,’_ had just made the nausea Cisco’d felt explode ten-fold. He had to look away, to close his eyes. 

It was all just so much. 

Too much.

Enough to make things happen that scared the shit out of him, now that he thought about it…

“Cisco, man…” _It was Barry’s voice beside him, in a tone of caution, that brought Cisco’s rambling thoughts into focus. He shuddered out a breath and lifted his head to look at him. Barry’s eyes were a bit wide, brows raised as he reached out and gripped Cisco’s shoulder._ “I know this is all a lot right now, but I need you to calm down a bit, okay?” _Cisco furrowed his brows at that, then realized he heard rattling. And lots of it._

 _He turned a little and looked around the room. Everyone was staring at him. Everything that wasn’t bolted down was shaking like there was a minor earthquake happening. What was worse was Cisco could_ feel _it, coming from himself. A pressure, a build-up of heaviness, a need to just get it out of his chest that was nearly painful. He looked down at his hands instinctively, the skin of his fingers to just past his wrists were that strange faded blue he’d seen before._

“Jesus Christ…” _he managed worriedly, his voice strangled and on edge. He swallowed hard, feeling his heart speed up. The room around him rattled a little louder, and he felt more hands on him. Soft, warm, familiar._

_Caitlin and Iris and Barry all encircled him. Even Jesse was there with them, gripping his arms and shoulders and back._

_The feel of them made something in him instantly relax, an unfamiliar energy -or maybe how all their energies felt when combined together- soaked into his flesh, made his jaw relax, made his heart slow down to normal. The tremors stopped. The room quieted. He blinked and watched the color return to normal in his hands._

“What is happening?” _He whispered, not expecting an answer, not even sure he wanted one._

“Now that was fascinating.” _Leo said from where he was standing on the far end of the room, his hip leaned into a tall metal table, completely unphased beyond a look of satisfaction Cisco wanted to slap away. In that moment, no one responded to Leo. Cisco couldn’t have even if he’d wanted to. But the others? They looked hard, determined to keep the Leshy at arm's length in this… whatever this was…_

“What’s that?” Caitlin’s voice materializing beside him made him jump a little, his thoughts ceasing as he came back to the moment. She instantly put a hand on his shoulder, concern crossing her features as Cisco instinctively tried not to crush the well worn and creased envelope in his hands.

“Shit, sorry…” he breathed out, shaking his head. “Still jumpy, I guess…” She smiled at him, moving away after squeezing his shoulder. 

“We all are. You don’t need to apologize.” Caitlin grabbed a rather bland looking brown armchair from beside a metal cabinet, moving it to the other side of Harry’s gurney before sitting. She reached forward and took the vampire’s cold hand, curling her fingers into his palm and stroking his knuckles with her thumb.

Harry didn’t move. He hadn’t moved in hours. The tube that had been placed into Harry’s side, and directly into his stomach, was constantly pushing thick, dark blood into him. Blood mixed with something else called ‘pure plasma,’ which Caitlin had said was not at all what Cisco thought it was. He didn’t dare ask any further questions, mostly because his brain couldn’t quite handle any more surprises.

Harry’s skin was paler than pale, covered in dark veins and bruises. The skin of his face seemed tight and slightly sunken. His lips were a soft blue. His eyes didn’t move at all, not even to shift under his eyelids. He looked deader than dead. And that was saying something, mostly because Harry wasn’t resting. Caitlin said for a vampire to be unconscious was dangerous. That Harry couldn’t control what happened to his body, or his blood intake (which he really needed right then), or how he healed. Forcing blood into his body, with whatever else was in it, was the only way to keep his mind from ‘going feral.’ Eventually, Harry would regain enough strength to actually put himself into the Void, and then heal naturally. Or… naturally for a vampire. It all made so little sense to Cisco. Though, to be fair, that was probably because he was just insanely overwhelmed. Maybe later, when his head a chance to calm, he’d be able to see it all more clearly.

“So?” Caitlin asked again, her other hand motioning across Harry’s still form. Cisco raised a brow, then looked down at his hands. The yellowed paper of the envelope crinkled a little as he loosened his grip and shrugged.

“Uh… it’s a letter from… from my Dad. I keep it in my wallet. Pull it out when… well…” he didn’t elaborate. Caitlin tilted her head a little, looking at him thoughtfully as she watched him turn the envelope with his fingers. 

“It’s still sealed.” She said softly. Cisco paused, looking at the long crease his wallet had formed into it over time. He ran a finger along it, knowing by feel where it started and ended. He’d started carrying it in his wallet after his mother and brother died. It felt like forever ago now.

“I got it after he died. Never opened it.” He looked over at her, catching her kind but confused gaze. “I was the only one he wrote a letter to. Not my mom or my brother… just me. It felt like some big, dark secret, ya know?” He took in a deep breath, letting it out in increments. “In a way, I was grateful. I felt special. But I also felt… angry.” He held it out to her. She raised a single brow, then took it delicately, letting go of Harry’s hand and holding the envelope in both of hers. “I’ve never been able to open it. The man who gave it to me made it seem like whatever was in it would change everything about how I saw my Dad and myself.”

“Man?” she asked, softly tracing the faded ‘Francisco Ramon’ on the front of the envelope.

“He said he was a friend of my Dad’s. I’d never met him before... or since.” He relaxed back in his chair, letting his eyes roam to Harry’s face. “Thing is… everything has changed. Everything I ever thought made sense just doesn’t anymore. Everything I thought I was… I’m not.” He tore his eyes away from Harry and looked down at his own empty hands, turning his palms to look at the lines on them. “What am I?” He asked softly, swallowing and dropping his hands to his lap, catching Caitlin’s stare. “Because I’m not just a Seer. I can’t be… right? Seers don’t fling things with their mind or cause minor earthquakes or turn blue.” He could hear the defeat in his own voice. It was strange, almost out of place. He should have sounded angry, or even worried. But instead, the numbness just made him sound beaten. “You’ve all been hiding something from me, haven’t you. You know what I am.” The accusation sounded just as numb as the rest of him.

Caitlin let out a sigh, sitting back in her chair and watching him very quietly for a moment before she nodded.

“We aren’t sure what you are, Cisco.” She set her hands in her lap, still holding the envelope. “You’ve got two gifts. You’re a Seer and a Kinetic. And that just… it just shouldn’t be possible because a Spectra can’t handle more than one energy. But…” she motioned lightly at him, “Yours is somehow. We think maybe it’s because of your connection to Harry. A vampire and a mortal being soulmates? That’s never happened before. It’s a combination of energies and powers that can have all sorts of unforeseen results. You were never kinetic till you two got together. It’s somehow made all this possible. But we’re in severely uncharted territory. We can’t begin to guess why any of this is happening.” Cisco took it all in, looking back at Harry with furrowed brows.

"Kinetic..." He muttered, Caitlin shifted a little in her chair.

"You can absorb kinetic energy, use it to emit vibration waves, pretty much manipulate it to do all sorts of things." She sounded gentle about it, as though she were trying not to throw too much more at him than had already been thrust upon him. He sighed. Honestly, that all should have sounded amazing. But he couldn't stop thinking about what it all meant as a whole.

“It’s affecting Harry, too, isn’t… whatever this all is.” He wasn’t asking. They’d all seen it. Harry’d had a heartbeat. A real, healthy, thrumming away rhythm in his chest. That shouldn’t have been possible, either.

“Whatever it is, however it’s affecting you two, I don’t think it’s bad, Cisco.” Caitlin sounded reassuring, but Cisco didn’t find comfort in her words.

“How could you possibly know that?” He demanded, sitting up a little straighter. “You said so yourself, none of this is anything that’s happened before. How can you or anyone else possibly know if any of this is bad or not?” Caitlin blinked, then gently smiled.

“Because I… _we_ … know you two.” She glanced at Harry’s still face. “You’re good people, with remarkable hearts.” She let her gaze go back to Cisco’s slowly easing features. “Whatever this all is, you’re going to make the most of it, you’ll make it work and you’ll do good with it. Because that’s who you both are. Separately, and together. And… you’re not alone in this, Cisco. We’re all here. Me, Barry, Iris, and Jesse… we’re your family. And family takes care of each other.” She lifted the envelope in her hands. “It’s scary. And unknown. And maybe a little bit dark.” She held the paper out toward him. “But as long as we’re all together, it will all be okay.”

Cisco took the envelope back, watching as Caitlin stood up and come back around. She bent over and kissed his forehead softly, her hand on his upper back. And for a moment, she just rested her forehead against his own.

“Maybe now is a good time to open it... and let go of the past.” And she moved away, leaving Cisco alone at Harry’s bedside with a paper-thin secret resting in his hands. 

Maybe Caitlin was right. Maybe everything would be okay, one way or another. And maybe… he just needed to get out of his own way. Cisco glanced once more at Harry’s face and let out a deep breath.

Maybe it really was time to completely move on from the past. After all, no matter how uncertain or scary it all seemed, his future was right there in front of him. Right?

Before he even realized what he was doing, Cisco made a tear into the envelope. Then inch by inch, he opened it. The sound filled the numbing quiet in a way he hadn’t counted on. Like opening that envelope opened up his own emotions to something other than numb… something more like grateful and worried and happy and uncertain. He choked on his own breath for a moment, feeling his eyes sting instantly. But he kept going, till he could see inside the envelope. 

And before he could second guess himself or turn back, he pulled the letter out of its once permanent home, fingers shaking as he set his father’s secrets free…


End file.
